ROAST SQUASH & BLUE CHEESE WITH FLAXSEED BRITTLE (V)
If you think of autumn you can’t help but think of pumpkins and squashes. Combine these with some bitter leaves and creamy, salty blue cheese and you can almost feel yourself sitting by a roaring fire. You can buy psyllium husks at health food stores or online.
1kg (2lb 4oz) mix of pumpkin and squash, peeled (if you like, or not), deseeded and cut into wedges and chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
50g (1¾oz) baby leaf spinach
50g (1¾oz) baby leaf kale
1 red chicory (endive) head, sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
120g (4¼oz) blue cheese, crumbled
75g (2½oz/scant ⅓ cup) sour cream
50ml (1¾oz/scant ¼ cup) buttermilk
2 tbsp mayonnaise
twist of freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE FLAXSEED BRITTLE
40g (1½oz/¼ cup) golden flaxseed
40g (1½oz/¼ cup) brown flaxseed
2 tsp psyllium husks
pinch of sea salt
60ml (2fl oz/¼ cup) water
TO SERVE
40g (1½oz) blue cheese, crumbled
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Mix together the flaxseed brittle ingredients in a small bowl and leave to stand for 5 minutes so the psyllium husks and seeds absorb the water. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment and, using a palette knife, spread out the flaxseed mix as thinly as you can (trying to avoid holes). Bake until it is totally dried out, which should take 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 210°C/190°C fan/425°F/ gas mark 7.
Put the pumpkin and squash chunks into a large roasting tin. Coat them in the oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Pop into the hot oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through. You want the edges to be golden brown and the flesh really tender all the way through.
Meanwhile, make the blue cheese dressing by putting all the ingredients into a small food processor and blitzing until smooth. Set aside until you’re ready to use it.
Add the spinach, kale and chicory to the hot pumpkin roasting tin and toss everything together. Turn out onto a large serving platter and drizzle over the dressing. Crack the flaxseed brittle into shards and decorate the top of the salad with them. Finish with an extra crumble of blue cheese.