Roast squash with spicy kale and dukkah halloumi

An average of 3.8 out of 5 stars from 4 ratings
Prepare
less than 30 mins
Cook
10 to 30 mins
Serve
Serves 4

This vegetarian dinner has a Middle Eastern influence, with dukkah-coated halloumi and chilli-spiced kale.

Ingredients

For the roast squash

For the halloumi

  • 250g/9oz block halloumi, left in its plastic wrap 
  • 60g/2¼oz raw halloumi, torn into chunks
  • 1 free-range egg, beaten 
  • dukkah, to coat 
  • oil, for deep frying

For the squash purée

For the spicy kale

Method

  1. To make the roast squash, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Place the squash in a roasting tin and add the oil and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 30–40 minutes, until blistered and softened. Warm the sugar, vinegar and garlic together in a saucepan and pour over the roast squash. Keep warm. 

  2. To make the halloumi, cook the cheese in a saucepan of boiling water for 20 minutes then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Place the egg and dukkah in wide, shallow bowls and dip the broken raw halloumi into the mix. Deep fry until crisp then transfer to kitchen paper to drain.

  3. To make the purée, heat a splash oil in a frying pan and sweat the onion and garlic until softened. Add the squash, rosemary and bay leaf and slowly sweat until it is just cooked but without colour. Add just enough water and simmer until the squash has softened. Remove the rosemary and bay leaf and transfer the remaining ingredients to a food processor. Blitz with the olive oil to create a smooth purée. 

  4. To make the kale, heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and fry the kale, chilli and garlic until softened. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. To serve, place the purée on warmed plates and top with the roast squash. Add the fried halloumi, the tear over the molten halloumi then scatter over the kale and serve.