Pumpkin Salad with Avocado, Pecans, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

New Year's resolution-making already for 2015: more blogging! It's been over a month since I've posted, but since then: my job in Sydney finished, my Australian visa ran out, we've packed up and shipped all of our possessions, and I've moved back to Texas temporarily while I wait on the state department to approve the hubs to join me in the USofA. Needless to say, it's been busy.

But we're still cooking, and this is my first post from the Southern homeland I still call home. Have done a swift transfer from summer-weather salads to winter-themed dishes here in Texas, even though the weather is not quite frosty yet. The beautiful, delicious salad recipe shared below is just perfect for the holiday season, weather you're in the northern or the southern hemisphere. I made it in Sydney on Thanksgiving last month with my wonderful in-laws and will be making it again in Texas on Christmas for my family here.

This salad makes a beautiful addition to your holiday spread.

The sweet pumpkin, savory rocket (arugula) and crunchy pomegranate seeds and pecans make a mouthwatering combination, and the flavors are holiday season appropriate without adding another heavy, starchy side to your dinner table. I've used both kent pumpkin and acorn squash in this recipe with success, and butternut or any other slightly sweet squash would also work well. If you can't source avocados where you are (they're plentiful in Australia this time of year, and thankfully in Texas we have access to avos from Mexico and Cali), just leave them out-- the salad will still look and taste divine. This festive dish is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly. Win.

pumpkin, avocado & acorn squash over greens, topped with toasted pecans,
pomegranate arils, and pomegranate vinaigrette

Hope to be back before the month and year are over, but all best to you for December. And especially warm wishes to my family and friends back in Sydney, where the past week has been a tense and difficult one. May peace abound as we move forward into the New Year.

Pumpkin Salad with Avocado, Pecans, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Serves 6-8
Adapted from How Sweet it Is

1 acorn squash, or half of a kent pumpkin or butternut squash (no need to remove the skin!)
4-5 cups rocket (arugula; can substitute shredded romaine or another lettuce)

1 avocado, sliced into long, 1/4 inch-wide slices

1/2 of a medium sized pomegranate (for about 1/2 cup pomegranate arils)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped into large chunks

Pomegranate Vinaigrette
makes 1/2 cup

3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

pinch each of freshly ground salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 395F/ 200C. Slice the squash or pumpkin into 1/4-inch slices (if using acorn squash, cut in half from bottom to top, then slice horizontally from bottom to top so you end up with scalloped slices of squash).

Place squash slices on a lightly greased or baking paper-lined baking tray, and place into a pre-heated oven. Roast at 395F/ 200C for 20-25 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through cooking, until the slices are cooked through and beginning to brown slightly. In the last 5-6 minutes of baking, place the pecans on another baking tray and place them in the oven to toast. Remove squash and pecans from oven and set aside to cool.

While the squash is roasting, remove the arils (seeds) from your pomegranate and set a 1/2 cup aside (refrigerate the remaining arils for another use). Then make the pomegranate vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients together thoroughly.

On your serving platter or bowl, arrange the rocket leaves, and pour half of the vinaigrette evenly over the leaves. Arrange the squash slices over the rocket, then arrange the avocado slices in between the squash slices. Pour the remaining vinaigrette evenly over the salad, and sprinkle the pomegranate arils and pecans on top. Serve immediately.

Salad will keep, covered in the fridge, for 24 hours.

* Prep tip: The squash can be roasted up to a day ahead and placed in the fridge, ready to be used when you are ready to assemble the salad. The vinaigrette can be mixed up and stored in the fridge up to two days before serving.

Catching up, and Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Cherry Pecan Salsa

Too long since the last blog update...

In the past few months visiting friends, business travel, and family gatherings have filled up free moments.  I've eaten some amazing meals with great company and in fabulous locations (Perth, Cape Town, London)-- just haven't set aside the time to write about them!  I tried ostrich steak for the first time while in Cape Town (superb), and enjoyed fabulous wine in Stellenbosch and the surrounding vineyard-covered region.  The Dutch colonial-style hotel where I stayed near the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town made a mean pumpkin soup topped with coriander-infused popcorn.  The head chef visited my table to ask what I thought.  The recipe was the creation of one of his young, eager chefs, and they had been experimenting with the best herb for the popcorn.  The soup itself was velvety with a spicy kick, and the popcorn lent a bold herb flavor and pleasing crunch-- a winner in my books, and so I told the chef.  

Discovered adorable Bea's of Bloomsbury when meeting a friend for coffee in London.  I had a homey bowl of fresh fruit, muesli, yogurt, and honey to accompany my strong flat white, but I coveted my friend's thick-sliced whole wheat walnut toast spread thinly with butter and marmite.  I enjoyed a blissful dinner-for-one at Kitchen W8 the evening of our wedding anniversary, the only drawback being that the hubs was in the opposite hemisphere!  The informative servers made excellent wine recommendations for my meal choices.  An incredible starter of roasted beet, fig, microgreens, goat's cheese, and olive oil and chestnut purée drizzled salad was followed by pan fried sea bream fillet with garlic purée over a ragout of chickpeas, roasted peppers, and chorizo.  To finish, a bitter chocolate pavé garnished with new season's cherries, toasted buckwheat, and a cabernet sauvignon strawberry sorbet: divine.  

I had a nice and fresh quinoa vegetable salad with roasted eggplant dip (and a pecan-covered brownie) at Gail's Artisan Bakery, and a well-balanced fillet of herb-crusted sea bass with olive risotto, roasted tomatoes, and asparagus at Le Pain Quotidien.  Shared meals outdoors in relatives' gardens, soaking up the last warm rays of English sun, and even helped my cousin-in-law's husband create a side of grits for his slow-cooked lamb shanks (I'd gifted him the Texan grits when I moved to Sydney, fearful of the strict import laws for Australia).  A thoroughly enjoyable visit back to Blighty.    

As for recipes, I'll backtrack to the delicious grilled sweet potato wedges with cherry pecan salsa that I made to accompany our all-American hamburgers and corn-on-the-cob for July 4th.  The recipe can be found here at one of my favorite food blogs, The First Mess.  

grilled sweet potato wedges with cherry pecan salsa

Fourth of July was mid-winter in Australia, so while we hung the stars and stripes from our balcony, we didn't fire up the barbie for these.  Rather, I steamed them as per the recipe and grilled them on our indoor griddle set over the stovetop.  As a result, a few of the wedges were still a little firm in the centre.  I probably should have steamed them a little longer beforehand since the indoor griddle wasn't as hot as a bar-b-que would have been.  They were very tasty, though, and the cherry pecan salsa was a bright accompaniment to the spicy-sweet wedges.  

Highly recommended as a fun alternative to potato salad, baked beans, or whatever you traditionally serve with burgers.  The salsa would also be perfect over veggie burgers, pork tenderloin, or chicken.  I'll try this recipe again when we enter bar-b-que season (soon)!  More recipes to come...