Baked Vegetables with Sizzled Haloumi
Introduction
I love the way beetroot bleeds into the pumpkin in this dish, and how the sweeter vegetables respond to a tangy caper lemon dressing.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1kg (about 2 pounds) firm-fleshed pumpkin (I use grey-skinned crown pumpkin), peeled, deseeded and cubed
6 baby beetroot, scrubbed, trimmed and halved
2 large red peppers (capsicums), halved, cored, deseeded and cut into large chunks
500g (about 1 pound) fennel bulbs (1 very large bulb), trimmed and cut into fat chunks
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
175–200g (6-7 ounces) haloumi, sliced into 8 pieces
2 Tbsp butter
Dressing
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
6 baby beetroot, scrubbed, trimmed and halved
2 large red peppers (capsicums), halved, cored, deseeded and cut into large chunks
500g (about 1 pound) fennel bulbs (1 very large bulb), trimmed and cut into fat chunks
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
175–200g (6-7 ounces) haloumi, sliced into 8 pieces
2 Tbsp butter
Dressing
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
Method
1 Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a large roasting tin with tin foil, then baking (parchment) paper and put in vegetables in one layer.
1 Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper and sprinkle with rosemary. Bake vegetables for 45–60 minutes, turning them over once or twice, until golden and tender.
2 Whisk dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
3 Dish cooked vegetables onto plates, or a platter, when done. Cook haloumi on both sides in sizzling butter in a non-stick frying pan (skillet) until golden. Use a spatula to transfer haloumi to plates of vegetables. Rewhisk dressing and spoon over everything. Serve immediately.
Photography Aaron McLean http://www.aaronmclean.com