Delicata Squash, Radicchio, Salad
Delicata Squash, Radicchio, Salad
This squash salad always looks wonderful on the table. I often serve it alongside a simple roast chicken. The colours remind me so much of Autumn but I tend to eat it during winter when the trees are bare and I look for colour in my cooking even more than usual. I love the wonderful circles you can create when cutting delicata squash but any squash variety would be delicious. I’ve gone for ricotta here but torn mozzarella or creamy blobs of burrata are delicious too.
INGREDIENTS
1 delicata squash
2 tsp fennel seeds
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of half an orange
2 tbsp muscatel or sherry vinegar (I love belazu)
1 tbsp runny honey
3 tbs olive oil
50g roasted hazelnuts, crushed
1 radicchio, leaves washed
150g ricotta
METHOD
Preheat oven to 225 degrees fan setting. To scoop out the seeds whilst keeping the squash’s wonderful shape, slice the squash in half widthways and use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds for each half.
Slice the squash into 2cm circles and place on a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 25 minutes, turning over the pieces halfway through.
In a small saucepan heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the fennel seeds and cook for about 1-2 minutes until they smell fragrant and being to sizzle. Transfer them to a paper towel lined plate to drain off the excess oil.
In a small bowl, season the ricotta with a pinch of sea salt and give it a stir until it feels creamy.
In a large mixing bowl combine the olive oil, honey, vinegar, orange zest, orange juice and a good pinch of salt. Tear in the radicchio leaves and give it a quick toss before adding the squash, and most of the fennel seeds and hazelnuts (keeping a few to finish).
Transfer the salad to a serving platter, spoon over the ricotta, dotting it evenly over the salad and sprinkle over the remaining fennel seeds and hazelnuts.
For more salads try this Blood Orange, Chicory, Fennel And Radicchio Salad or this Crunchy Beetroot Lentil Salad.