Friends at my table: squash and manouri salad

 
2 April 2012

As the sun comes out, so the parties begin. Our new recipe columnist, Alice Hart, looks at how to cook for larger numbers without feeling panicked, starting with a squash and manouri salad.

We, the enthusiastic eaters and the cooks of today, have undeniably well-informed tastes. This doesn’t mean the recipes we cook should be complicated. This recipe is well suited to the unpredictable game of party-throwing. Cooking for larger numbers might seem daunting but, really, it needn’t.

Last-minute frying, slicing and dicing sends me into a tailspin; instead I’ll throw in every simple technique I know to prep in advance and get ahead, safe in the knowledge that supper is in hand. A simple battle strategy, some forward planning and a few lists will help keep you on track.

Gathering friends and family together to eat, drink and make merry need not feel like a test or an exercise in stress; the main aim is that everybody has a good time — including you.

SQUASH AND MANOURI SALAD

I am fond of dense-fleshed squash, especially when roasted. To defend my amour, it is dictated by head as well as heart. A trayful of caramelised squash is one of the easiest, and most versatile, solutions to feeding a crowd well, from soups, stews and curries, to salads both warm and cool.

Greek delis are the most reliable source of manouri cheese, a fresh, semi-soft white variety not dissimilar to a soft feta but with none of its saltiness. With a lemon and dill dressing and a pinch of dried chilli, it tastes fantastic.

I love verjuice. Deeply. It is pressed from unripe grapes and makes a beautiful dressing but don’t panic if you can’t find it; simply use lemon juice and honey instead.

Enough for 20 as a side dish, or 10 as a main course. Preparation 20 minutes, cook for 45 minutes

For the salad:

2 large coquina or butternut squash, peeled

5 tbsp olive oil

3 large handfuls of rocket

2 handfuls of large green olives in oil, drained and stoned

600g manouri cheese, broken into rough pieces

For the dressing:

175ml extra virgin olive oil

5 tbsp verjuice, or 2 tbsp liquid honey, to taste

2 unwaxed lemons, finely grated

zest of both and some juice to taste (optional)

half a tsp chilli flakes, plus a pinch

To serve

2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

Large bunch of dill, chopped

Salad: Preheat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Slice peeled squash in half, digging out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each half into half-moons. Toss with olive oil, season and roast on two large, lined baking sheets for about 50 mins, until tender and dark at the edges. Turn carefully with a spatula halfway. Leave to cool. This can be done two days beforehand and the squash kept chilled and covered. Return to room temperature before using.

Dressing: whisk olive oil and verjuice together. Add chilli flakes, fennel seeds, lemon zest. Stir in half chopped dill. Taste, season, taste again, then add more verjuice. Make this up to three days in advance, keep it chilled — only add the dill before using.

To serve: divide remaining dill, rocket, olives and roast squash between two or three serving bowls. Whisk the dressing well and spoon a little over each bowlful. Toss gently. Now add the manouri, gently distributing it among the salad ingredients. Spoon the remaining dressing evenly over each bowlful, sprinkle with a little extra dried chilli and sea salt. Serve soon after.

Friends at my Table by Alice Hart (£18.99, Quadrille, out now).

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