Recipe Time ... Autumn Hazlenut Shitake Butternut Salad

Chilly, dark nights and warming Wintery food...this calls for a delicious, healthy recipe!

How to make...

Hazelnut, Shitake Butternut Salad.
Courtesy of Salad Samurai

This is the ultimate autumn salad: "meaty" roasted mushrooms, meltingly tender butternut squash, toasted hazelnuts, juicy pears and a malty maple vinaigrette kissed with sweet-hot Aleppo pepper! No matter what time of year, here is the salad that will leave you dreaming of crisp Autumn days and chilly nights.

Ingredients:
1 lb Butternut Squash
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked salt (or regular)
10 0z shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp tamari
3 cups of shredded kale
3 spring onions thinly sliced
1 crisp pear, cored & diced
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Dressing
2 tbsp malt vinegar (use balsamic for gluten free)
4 tsp toasted hazelnut oil or olive oil
4 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp paprika (smoked is best) or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp smoked or regular salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a peeler and peel the squash, discard the seeds and dice into 1 inch cubes. Transfer the squash to the baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, sprinkle with the salt and toss to coat the cubes. Spread in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile clean and trim away any woody stems from the mushrooms. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the tamari.

Once the squash has roasted for 20 mins, remove the pan from oven and nudge some of the squash over, clearing a third of the space on the baking sheet. Spread the mushrooms in a single layer and return the pan to the oven. Stir both the squash and and the mushrooms occasionally (but keep separate) and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender and the mushrooms are deeply browned.

Set aside the mushrooms and squash to cool slightly. Meanwhile whisk the dressing ingredients together. Transfer the mushrooms and squash to a mixing bowl, then add the greens, spring onions, pear and hazelnuts. Combine the dressing with the salad and serve right away!

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