Roast butternut squash, walnut and feta salad

'When the cat's away the mice will play'.
I am the mouse.
My family is currently in different corners of the globe and Maria is in the Dolomites, so I find myself without the discipline of a structured day. I do whatever pleases me whenever I feel like it. I do not shop and when I cook it is only because I am hungry. My only rule is not to waste and use up all the existing ingredients.

With this in mind I have cooked myself a roast butternut salad and added to it some Fetta cheese. It was scrumptious and I have some left over for this evening too.

Roast butternut squash, walnut and feta salad

400 g butternut squash

350 g bag of mixed salad leaves

200 g toasted walnut halves

200 g feta cheese, cubed

A few mint leaves for the garnish

Dressing:

½ lemon, juiced

½ orange, juiced

1 teaspoon sumac

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 27 minutes

Serves 4

1.    Peel and cut the squash into small cubes. Place in a roasting dish and brush with olive oil.

2.    Add salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 25 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180°C. The cubes of squash should become soft and lightly browned on the edges.

3.    Toast the walnut in the oven for 7 minutes or until brown.

4.    While this is cooking, prepare the dressing. Mix all the ingredients in a jar and shake it to emulsify.

5.    Toss the cooked squash in half of the dressing.

6.    Toss the fresh salad leaves in the rest of the dressing and arrange them in a shallow salad bowl.

7.    Arrange the butternut squash, the cubed feta cheese and the toasted walnuts on top.

8.    Serve immediately.