This sweet potato, orange and haloumi salad is an easy vegetarian meal with an unusual but tasty combination of flavours.
Lemon juice and oranges give a nice little boost of vitamin C to this warm winter salad.
If you’re not so keen on vegetarian meals, pan fried chicken tenderloins would be a nice addition.
For other fruity salads, check out this chicken, broccoli and cranberry salad or these chicken and baked ricotta salads (with pear).
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This warm sweet potato, orange and haloumi salad is an easy vegetarian meal with an unusual but tasty combination of flavours.
COOK SWEET POTATO
Preheat oven to 190ºC (375ºF) fan bake and line a large oven tray with baking paper. Peel sweet potato and dice into small 1-2cm (0.5in) cubes. Place on prepared tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, using your hands, then arrange in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, or until browned around the edges.
MAKE DRESSING
While sweet potato cooks, whisk together (or shake in a jar) olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard and sesame oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
PREPARE OTHER SALAD INGREDIENTS
Trim any hard ends off the snow peas and place in a microwave-safe dish. Peel oranges and dice the flesh into small 1-2cm (0.5in) cubes. Finely dice red onion.
Slice haloumi into strips. Heat a large frying pan on medium. Add sesame seeds and cook for a couple of minutes, until toasted. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to pan and cook haloumi for 1-2 minutes each side, until golden brown. Remove pan from heat.
Microwave rice according to instructions on the packet. Microwave snow peas for 1 minute, until just tender. Cut cooked haloumi into small cubes.
SERVE
Combine sweet potato, rice, haloumi, snow peas, orange, onion, and parmesan in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the top and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.
WINE MATCH: Go for a Pinot Gris.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: This meal is naturally gluten-free.
INGREDIENT SWAPS / NOTES: For a non-vegetarian meal, you could add some pan fried chicken tenderloins (cook in the pan before haloumi, then remove from pan, cover with foil and leave to rest/keep warm while you cook haloumi). If you can’t find snow peas, swap for 100g / 3.5oz baby spinach (skip the microwaving step).
STORING AND REHEATING: For pre-planned leftovers, I would keep the orange, dressing and sesame seeds separate from the rest of the salad. Reheat salad in the microwave until warm, then stir in orange and dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.