ROASTED BEETROOT & BUTTERNUT WITH FETA & ALMONDS

ROASTED BEETROOT AND BUTTERNUT with Feta and Almonds

Serves: 4 – 6

INGREDIENTS

*750 g baby beetroot, peeled and cut into wedges *3 TBSP olive oil *Grated zest and juice of 1 orange *Salt and ground black pepper to taste *5 cloves garlic, lightly crushed *3 sprigs fresh thyme *750 g butternut, seeds removed and cut into wedges *2 TBSP maple-flavoured syrup *½ tsp ground cinnamon *¼ cup cooked brown lentils (or canned lentils, rinsed and drained) *20 g toasted flaked almonds *30 g feta cheese, crumbled *Balsamic reduction *Fresh parsley or coriander, for garnish (optional)

METHOD

1. Place the beetroot wedges in a roasting pan. Drizzle with a tablespoon of the olive oil and orange juice, season with salt and ground black pepper, and scatter over the grated orange zest. Add the garlic cloves and thyme, and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, turning the beetroot halfway through the cooking time. 2. Place the butternut wedges in a separate roasting pan (you can peel the butternut before roasting or leave the skin on). Drizzle with the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and the maple-flavoured syrup, and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Note: you can use maple-flavoured syrup or golden syrup, but if you really want to punch up the flavour, there’s nothing to beat the taste of genuine Canadian maple syrup. 3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until fork-tender. 4. Toast the almonds by scattering them in a baking pan and placing them in a preheated oven at 180°C for three to four minutes, until they are golden in colour. Shake the pan once or twice to prevent burning. 5. Serve the butternut and beetroot wedges on a platter and add the lentils, crumbled feta and flaked almonds. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.

This warm salad is great alongside roasted or braaied chicken.

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Excerpted from Dinner at Matloha’s by Liziwe Matloha, published by Penguin Random House and available at leading bookstores and online