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.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here