Recipe by Illanique van Aswegen
A beautiful and vibrant salad packed with texture and exciting flavours.
Bulgur wheat, chickpea and roasted pumpkin salad with gooseberry dressing
Ingredients
- Gooseberry dressing
- 155g gooseberries
- 60ml (¼ cup) orange juice
- 15ml (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar
- 15ml (1 tbsp) double-cream yoghurt
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Salad
- 500g butternut, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- 5ml (1 tsp) garlic, finely chopped
- 5ml (1 tsp) honey
- 200g bulgur wheat
- 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
- 155g gooseberries, some halved and some left whole
- ½ (about 90g) red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 125g ricotta
- 50g salted cashews
- handful microherbs, to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
For the dressing, purée the gooseberries, orange juice, vinegar and yoghurt in a food processor. Add the 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil in a steady stream, while the motor is running. Season to taste and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the salad, toss the butternut, thyme, 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, garlic and honey together. Season to taste, arrange on a baking tray and roast until tender, 20 – 25 minutes. Allow to cool.
Bring the bulgur wheat, stock and bay leaf to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with a lid, 5 minutes, before using a fork to loosen the grains. Stir in the chickpeas and allow to cool.
To assemble the salad, combine the bulgur wheat and chickpea mixture with the gooseberries and chopped onion. Add the salad dressing and toss to combine. Scatter the pumpkin, chunks of ricotta and cashews on top and garnish with microherbs. Serve with extra dressing on the side.
Notes
If you wish to bulk up this salad and please meat lovers at the same time, then serve it topped with strips of chargrilled steak or chicken.
