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Photograph of Roast Sweet Potato, Fresh Cherry and Goat's Cheese Salad with Cranberries, Pecan Nuts and Pickled Red Onion

Roast Sweet Potato, Fresh Cherry and Goat's Cheese Salad with Cranberries, Pecan Nuts and Pickled Red Onion

Roast Sweet Potato, Fresh Cherry and Goat's Cheese Salad with Cranberries, Pecan Nuts and Pickled Red Onion may be a bit of a mouthful, but I promise, you will LOVE this salad!

Course Lunch, packed lunch, picnic, Side Dish
Keyword cherries, chopped salad, goats cheese, sweet potato
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Author Susan

Ingredients

For the Quick Pickled Red Onion –

  • 1 teaspoon caster or granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small red onion, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced

For the Roast Sweet Potato and Pecan Nuts –

  • 600g sweet potato (500g – 525g prepared weight) peeled and cut into cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 50g pecan nuts

Honey and Mustard Dressing with Lemon, Chilli and Garlic:

  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 8g/1 trimmed, finely sliced spring onions
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons runny honey
  • 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
  • ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the rest of the salad –

  • 150g fresh red cherries, halved and stones removed
  • 50g fresh rocket
  • 35g dried cranberries
  • 25g – 75g goat’s cheese – to taste, crumbled
  • 30g pickled red onion (from above)

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to Fan Oven 180°C/200°C/400°F/Gas 6

  3. First make the Quick Pickled Red Onion – dissolve the sugar in the boiling water.

  4. Add the red wine vinegar and the salt and pepper.

  5. Peel and finely slice the onion and place in a bowl or jar.

  6. Drizzle over the pickling liquid, cover and set aside, ideally for a minimum of 30 minutes. (See Recipe Notes.)

  7. Next roast the sweet potatoes and pecan nuts: peel the sweet potatoes and dice into roughly 2cm square cubes.

  8. Toss with the olive oil and salt and paper and scatter over a baking tray. Try and use a tray big enough so the pieces are not touching. If your baking tray tends to stick, line it with baking parchment.

  9. Cook in a pre-heated oven for 30 – 35 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft and slightly caramelised on the edges.

  10. At the same time, scatter the pecan nuts onto a baking tray and pop in the oven, under the potatoes. Remove after 8 minutes.

  11. Make the salad dressing whilst the sweet potatoes are cooking - peel and crush the garlic and trim and finely slice the spring onion.

  12. Mix with all the remaining ingredients and either stir thoroughly or shake in a jar until emulsified.

  13. Now bring the salad together – halve the cherries and remove the stones.

  14. Using half of all the ingredients, layer the salad:

    –rocket

    - roast sweet potatoes

    - pitted fresh cherries

    - dried cranberries

    - pickled red onion

    - crumble over the goats cheese

    - add some pecan nuts

    - drizzle over 2 tablespoons dressing

  15. Repeat with the remaining half of the ingredients and add a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature with the additional dressing served alongside.

  16. Delicious served as a meal in its own right, with some fresh bread or as a side at a buffet or barbecue.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • chopping board and knife
  • 2 x baking tray
  • small bowl or jar for the onion
  • small jug or jar for teh dressing
  • garlic crusher
  • reamer

Quick Pickled Red Onion:

You will not need to use all the onion in this salad. However it is wonderful in many salads and keeps well, covered, and in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.