Fennel and Squash Salad with Pomegranate

Here's a great winter salad that combines roasted fennel and winter squash with a zingy dressing made with pomegranate syrup, lemon and oil. We make this frequently on our Fast & Delicious course not only to demonstrate just how good roasted vegetable salads can be, but also to introduce students to pomegranate syrup, an ingredient that was once only available in Middle Eastern and Asian shops but is now becoming increasingly available at the bigger supermarkets.

Pomegranate syrup is made from ripe pomegranates. The juice is concentrated by gentle cooking to a thick syrup. It has a sweet and sour flavour and is rich in polyphenol antioxidants for cardiovascular health. Pomegranate syrup gives wonderful depth and character to dishes like these. You'll also find it in my recipes for

• Puy Lentil and Roasted Beetroot Salad
• Turkish Chopped Pepper & Chilli Salad
• Moroccan Orange & Sultana Salad

Fennel and Squash Salad with Pomegranate

Dietary: Vegan | Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

• 1 head of fennel
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp anise seeds
• 1/2 tsp honey or sugar
• ½ lemon, juice and zest
• 1 orange, juiced
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/2 small butternut squash or onion squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• Salad leaves
• Seeds from 1/4 pomegranate

Dressing

• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp pomegranate syrup
• 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Slice the fennel into thin wedges. Using a frying pan that has a lid, pan fry the fennel in the olive oil until it goes golden brown in places, turn it over and continue frying for a minute. Add the anise seeds, lemon zest, lemon and orange juice and honey or sugar. Put a lid on, and cook gently for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid is gone and the fennel is soft. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Wash the squash and leaving the skin on, cut the squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Slice the squash into crescent/half moon shaped slices. Spread out in a large roasting tin and drizzle the olive oil and add salt over. Roast for 30 minutes until the squash is soft.
4. Mix together the dressing ingredients, arrange the salad leaves on a large dish, top with the squash and fennel. Pour over the dressing and sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds.