ROASTED PUMPKIN SALAD WITH SPINACH, BLUE CHEESE AND NUTS

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BLUE CHEESES & MORE Are you a blue cheese love or hater? How do you feel about Gorgonzola and Stilton, two of the most famous blue cheeses of the world? Did you know that there’s a PDO Greek cheese with a pungent, spicy flavor, made in most Cyclades islands, and especially in Mykonos called kopanisti? It’s soft and creamy, produced from a mix of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk and always in small quantities. It pairs beautifully with fruit, excellent in salads as well as with paximadia for a quick snack, and great when added to pies.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

Ingredients

2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin calabasa or butternut squash (the pumpkin or squash should be peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch/2 cm X 1/8-inch rectangles
Salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 small knob of ginger about an inch / 2.5 cm wide peeled and chopped
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
4 Tbsp Greek balsamic vinegar divided
6 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil divided
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
½ cup crumbled Roquefort or other blue mold cheese
Dash of cayenne
Grated zest of half a lemon
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp dried Greek oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh leaves only chopped
4 cups of baby spinach washed and dried

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F/180C. Toss the pumpkin cubes, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, orange juice, balsamic and 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil together in a mixing bowl and place in a shallow pan large enough to hold the cubes on one layer. Cover and roast for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until the cubes are fork tender. Last 5 minutes of baking add the nuts. When done, remove from the oven and let cool.
In the serving bowl mix the lemon zest and juice with the rest of the olive oil, cayenne and oregano. Mix in the salad leaves, cheese and pumpkin, add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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