Maple roasted kumara and chickpea salad with halloumi

Sweet, salty, tangy and utterly delicious. This dish combines creamy, nutty chickpeas with sweet winter kumara, crunchy toasted walnuts and salty halloumi. Dressed in Escuminac's rich and robust, organic, late harvest dark maple syrup, Gran Capirete 50-year sherry vinegar and Accoceberry Espelette wholegrain mustard - Julie Le Clerc has created a winning salad, perfect for the cooler months. Have it on its own or as a side to roast chicken, beef or lamb. Any variety of kumara or pumpkin, or a mixture of both, can be used in this dish.

Serves 6

3 Tbsp Escuminac Late Harvest dark maple syrup
1 Tbsp Accoceberry Espelette wholegrain mustard
3 Tbsp Gran Capirete 50-year sherry vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
Sal de Añana spring salt 
Freshly ground black pepper
750g kumara, peeled and cut into chunks (or use pumpkin, or a mixture of both)
3 medium red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
325g jar El Navaricco chickpeas, drained and rinsed
160g Zany Zeus halloumi, sliced
½ cup Trickett’s walnut pieces, toasted
Handful of Italian parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 190°C. In a small bowl mix the maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, garlic, 3 tablespoons EVO and season with salt and pepper.

Spread the kumara and red onion out on a large, low-sided oven pan in a single layer. Drizzle over half the maple syrup mixture and toss the vegetables to coat.

Roast for 25 minutes then turn the vegetables over. Toss the chickpeas with half the remaining maple syrup mixture, then scatter the chickpeas into the pan. Roast for 10-15 minutes more to heat the chickpeas and until vegetables are golden brown and tender.

Meanwhile, heat a little EVO in a frying pan and pan fry the halloumi for about a minute on each side or until golden brown.

Arrange the roasted vegetables and halloumi on a platter and scatter over the walnuts. Drizzle the remaining maple syrup mixture over the halloumi, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Recipe by Julie Le Clerc