Roast beetroot, rocket and spiced haloumi salad with tamarillo dressing
I love tamarillos (aka ‘tree tomatoes’); they’re sweet and tangy, and chocka-full of vitamin C and antioxidants.
Ingredients
Caramelised beetroot
- 4 medium beetroot cut into 3cm pieces (I leave the skin on)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or liquid honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Tamarillo dressing
- 2 large tamarillos peeled, flesh diced
- ½ teaspoon dijon or wholegrain mustard
- 1½ teaspoons liquid honey
- 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Spiced haloumi
- 1 teaspoon curry powder or use ½ teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 200 g haloumi cut into 0.5 – 1cm thick slices
Salad
- 4 handfuls rocket or baby spinach
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200degC. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
- Toss beetroot with maple syrup/honey and olive oil in prepared tray. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until beetroot is soft and caramelised.
- Place all tamarillo dressing ingredients in a small jar, screw on the lid and shake well to mix all ingredients together.
- On a plate, mix cumin, turmeric and salt together. Dust haloumi slices in spice mixture to lightly coat. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large non-stick fry pan on medium high heat. Cook haloumi for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden outside, and soft and melted inside.
- To serve, divide rocket leaves between plates, top with roast beetroot, haloumi (straight form the hot pan) and sunflower seeds. Spoon over tamarillo dressing.
Notes
There’s lots more ways to eat them than in a fruit salad or chutney. In this recipe they make a delicious dressing for a salad of pan-fried haloumi dusted with some spices, and caramelised roasted beetroot. The tamarillos give that fruity tartness, like lemon, that all good dressings need. I can see this dressing going well with lots of different salads – try it out!
Have this recipe as a light lunch or dinner, or a special side salad with your main meal.