Soy glazed squash and goats cheese salad by Paul Hart, Estate Executive Sous Chef at Gleneagles

Looking after our health has never been so important – good food can help both our immune systems and mental health, and it’s important to keep your diet as varied as possible – I know in my family, there’s only so much pasta my children can take!

We celebrated the first day of spring this week and, after the coldness of winter – and the rich comfort food we all consume to get ourselves through the long dark days – this is when we all look forward to our gardens coming back into bloom and the fresher, lighter flavours of spring and summer.

It’s difficult to beat a good salad if you want something fast, fresh and delicious. Decades ago, many people thought salads had to be iceberg lettuce, cucumber and flavourless tomatoes – drizzled, if you were lucky, with some Salad Cream. Now, though, there’s a much greater appreciation of just how diverse and delicious salads can be.

This one is designed to make you feel good – it’s bursting with incredible flavours that balance each other perfectly – from the sweet and salty squash and the sharp citrusy dressing to the creamy goat’s cheese.

We use one whole lemon, lime and orange, all full of vitamin C, which helps to support your immune system. Once you’ve dressed the leaves, you should have some dressing left but don’t throw it away; it goes wonderfully with a lightly seared piece of white fish and stores well in an airtight jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

A little bit of indulgence can lift the spirits and the senses – especially when you’re spending more time indoors – which is where the rich creamy goat’s cheese comes in. Goat’s cheese is also a great source of protein but if you’re looking for a slightly healthier alternative, try swapping in some tofu or cannellini beans for a true superfood salad.

For more information on Gleneagles, visit: www.gleneagles.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

25ml dark soy sauce

200g goats cheese

50ml double cream

200 selection of seasonal salad leaves

60g pumpkin seeds

Salt and pepper

For the dressing:

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 lime, zest and juice

1 orange, zest and juice

30ml white wine vinegar

300ml rapeseed oil

10g Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C.

2. Using a sharp knife, cut the butternut squash in half from the neck down, then peel using a peeler or a knife depending on how confident you are.

3. Then, take a spoon and scoop out the seeds from the squash.

4. Dice the squash into large bitesize pieces and place on a baking tray and roast in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.

5. After 15 minutes, remove the squash from the oven and pour over the soy sauce. Mix together on the tray and season before returning to the oven for a further 10 to 15 minutes, mixing every five minutes to ensure the squash is evenly coated.

6. Check the squash is cooked using a cocktail stick, it should go in with no resistance. Leave to cool to be served warmed.

7. Peel the goats cheese of its outer skin, dice or crumble it into a blender with the cream and some seasoning and blend until smooth. Place in a piping bag and leave to one side.

8. Toast the pumpkin seeds in the preheated oven for five minutes, watching them carefully making sure they don’t catch and burn.

9. Next, make the citrus dressing. Whisk the citrus juice and zest with the mustard and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to create an emulsion.

10. Place the leaves into a large bowl and toss with some of the citrus dressing.

11. Pipe four or five mounds of the goats cheese cream into the centre of four bowls, then arrange half of the squash between each of them. Divide the dressed leaves between the bowls and then top with the rest of the roasted squash. Finish with a sprinkle of the toasted pumpkin seeds.