Name: Middle-Eastern Chargrilled Pumpkin Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 500 gms – 1 lb. Roma tomatoes (quartered); 4 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp sumac; Salt to taste; 1 tbsp coriander powder; 2 tsp cumin powder; 2 tsp cinnamon powder; 2 garlic cloves; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1.2 kg – 2 ½ lbs. Kent pumpkin (cut in 16 wedges); Salt to taste; 1 cup Greek style yogurt; ½ cup coriander leaves (chopped); 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp lemon juice; Roasted garlic from above; Salt to taste; Roasted Tomatoes; Chrgrilled Pumpkin; 3 cups Baby Spinach (washed); 2 tbsp pepitas

I made this Middle-Eastern Chargrilled Pumpkin Salad as one of the side dishes for our Christmas Eve dinner, as it paired really well with the stuffing of the roast pork I had made. I loved the blend of Middle Eastern spices that goes into this warm simple salad. Sumac is one of my all time favourite spices and I’d put it on anything! I also really liked the refreshing garlicky yogurt dressing that cuts through the richness of the vegetables. Another thing I love is the addition of pepitas, that add some much needed crunch to the salad. This Middle-Eastern Chargrilled Pumpkin Salad would also go really well with grilled lamb cutlets. Enjoy!

Middle-Eastern Chargrilled Pumpkin Salad

Middle-Eastern Chargrilled Pumpkin Salad - a delicious middle-eastern inspired warm salad.

Course Salad

Cuisine Middle-Eastern

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 4

Author Recipe adapted from Fresh magazine – Issue 127, December 2016

Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes

500 gms – 1 lb. Roma tomatoes quartered
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sumac
Salt to taste

Chargrilled Pumpkin

1 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1.2 kg – 2 ½ lbs. Kent pumpkin cut in 16 wedges
Salt to taste

Dressing

1 cup Greek style yogurt
½ cup coriander leaves chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Roasted garlic from above
Salt to taste

Salad

Roasted Tomatoes
Chrgrilled Pumpkin
3 cups Baby Spinach washed
2 tbsp pepitas

Instructions

Put the quartered tomatoes and garlic cloves on a try covered with baking paper (or in an oven-proof dish).
Sprinkle with sumac, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt to taste.
Mix and bake, in a pre-heated oven, at 180°C – 355°F for 20-25 minutes or until starting to colour.
In the meantime, combine the ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, 1 tsp of salt, and 2 crushed garlic cloves in a bowl.
Use the mixture to coat the pumpkin wedges and place them on a try covered with baking paper.
Drizzle with 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and chargrill the pumpkin, in a pre-heated oven, at 180°C – 355°F for 5-6 minutes on each side or until charred and tender. Let it cool down.
In a smaller bowl, combine together the yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, chopped coriander. Season with salt to taste and mix.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves in the yogurt dressing and mix well.
Combine the pumpkin, tomatoes, and baby spinach on a serving plate.
Top with the yogurt dressing and pepitas.
Serve immediately.