Masterchef Lesson... Hardly...

I have to say that I'm hardly the masterchef - I leave that to my sister - but every now and then I strike on something that I really really like, so I thought I would share... :-)


It all started after the Highland Fling this past November.  We were given a little ticket that would entitle you to a post race meal in our goodie bag...  Hang onto it and use after you finish said the organisers.  So after almost collapsing over the line after 9 hours of riding, I stumbled over to the tent, handed in my ticket and was given this meal...  I headed back to the car and started to devour it as best as a totally spent endurance mountain bike racer (I use that term loosely :-P).  To surprise, it was really nice!


Stopping to have a bit of a look - I was in a 'can't talk, eating...' mode - it looked like something I might be able to re-create...  Roast pumpkin, pasta, semi-dried tomatoes, feta, pine nuts and lettuce...  Mmmm... I think I could make that...


Fast forward a couple of weeks and I happened by Harris Markets in the local plaza...  Now these guys have a vast array of fruit, veg and other fancy deli type stuff...  Soon enough though, I was in there picking up the ingredients to make said salad...


Here's what you need (serves 2-4 depending on appetite, accompaniments etc.):

• 3-4 Handfuls of Mixed Lettuce leaves
• Small tub of Semi Dried Tomatoes
• 100-200g Small block of Feta cheese (Australian of course!)
• 3 teaspoons Pine nuts (or small nuts of your choice)
• 1/2 Pumpkin (I like butternut)
• 200g Spiral pasta 
• Macadamia Nut Oil (optional)
• Large salad bowl

Here's what you do:

• Cut up the pumpkin into small to mid-size pieces and roast at 180deg. celsius for 30 minutes.  
• Leave the pumpkin to cool.
• Cook up the spiral pasta using your preferred method.
• Drain the pasta and let cool (you can hurry the process by rinsing it with some cool water).
• Wash and drain the lettuce.
• Throw the lettuce into the large salad bowl.
• Throw in the tub of semi dried tomatoes, including the oil.
• Cut up the feta into small pieces, then throw into the salad bowl.
• Throw in the nuts.
• Throw in the pasta.
• Throw in the roast pumpkin.
• Drizzle with macadamia nut oil.
• Toss the salad.
• Serve!

The beauty of this salad is that you can substitute various ingredients to suit your taste.  If you're not keen on pumpkin, try some sweet potato.  Don't like feta?  Try another type of cheese (although the feta does taste REALLY good in this).  You can also change the type of oil and nuts to suit particular tastes.  It's up to you!  Be creative!


So there you go.  Give it a try.  I'm sure you'll like it...  Well, I hope so anyway...