Squash Salad

Purple sprouting, butterbeans & toasted garlic

The joy of a salad is that it’s a quick, simple and wholesome light meal. This is not just for the summer months to enjoy in the garden in the sun, the colder months are just as deserving. Comfort food is king for certain, but there are still many times when a lighter zing of a meal just hits the spot! 
This recipe brings together some Autumnal favourites with a fresh flavour and lighter touch. It is certainly a pick ‘n’ mix salad where any of the thin skinned squash, harlequin, carnival, delicata or sweet dumpling, can be easily swapped in with any beans. However, butterbeans share a few characteristics with the squash. Their think skin and plump soft texture soaks up flavour and cooks quickly.
This one pan wonder can be made in the time it takes to roast the squash with very little preparation. The key to the flavour is toasting the garlic to just the right stage. This brings a nutty sweetness that drifts through the whole salad, a delicious base flavour that complements and contrasts the other ingredients.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium Autumn squash
Rape seed oil
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 tin of cooked butterbeans
250g +/- purple sprouting broccoli
1 small onion
Red chilli (optional)
4 sprigs of thyme
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs water
A small drizzle of honey
Sea salt flakes
Fresh ground black pepper
A handful of toasted hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 180°C

1. This recipe moves fairly fast, but flows. Begin by slicing the squash into 1cm discs and scooping out the seeds (don’t forget to roast these for a delicious snack). Lightly drizzle in oil, season with salt and roast in the hot oven for 20 minutes. 
2. The rest of the salad can be made while the squash cooks. Heat a generous puddle of rapeseed oil in a large frying pan or wok over a moderate heat. Coarsely slice the garlic and add to the oil, leaving the heat fairly low.
3. Slice the onion and chilli (optional and quantity depending on taste) and add to a large bowl.
4. Drain and rinse the butterbeans and add to the garlic oil once toasted, then season with salt. Look for a rich golden brown and heady aroma. Fry the beans over a moderate heat to evaporate any liquid.
5. Trim the sprouting, reserving the leaves but discarding the woody stems. By now the beans will be done, so tip them into the bowl with the onion and chilli. Return the pan to the heat and add the sprouting with any residual oil. Turn up the heat and fry for a few minutes until the colour lightens and the edges singe. Add the leaves, vinegar and water for a quick sizzle then pour over the beans.
6. The squash will now be soft to the touch and slightly golden, but not falling apart. Remove from the oven and add to the bowl. Toss everything together with a small drizzle of honey, thyme and nuts. 

Serve with a good mayonnaise or yoghurt.

Chef Notes:
1. Taking the garlic to the right stage is important, too dark and the garlic will become bitter, too light and the garlic will be too sharp. This character is delicious and works beautifully with the honey and nuts.
2. The almost raw onion and chilli brings a lightens and bit of zing to the palate, but lots of fresh herbs will be a great alternative.

Robin Popham
Chef at ‘Create Terroir’ and Sandy Lane Farm veg box customer