Recipe: Azamara’s roasted beet and arugula salad

This month’s recipe: roasted beet and arugula salad courtesy of Robert van Rijsbergen, corporate executive chef at Azamara Club Cruises

Ingredients

2 medium sized butternut squash, seeded, cubed
2 large carrots, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
5 beetroot, roasted and peeled
10 white grapes, pitted, skin off
40 pecan halves
30 red radish, thinly sliced
1 cup ricotta cheese
Arugula
Carrot spaghetti
Roasted butternut squash seeds
Koppert cress

French dressing
4 decilitres extra virgin olive oil
4 decilitres vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 decilitres white wine vinegar
30g parsley, chive, chervil,
tarragon, finely chopped
2 pieces garlic gloves, finely chopped
Oregano
Salt and pepper
Basil oil

Method

1. To prepare the butternut squash, blanche the carrots in salt water until soft, set aside. Preheat oven to 180C. Place squash in a large shallow baking dish. Drizzle with butter and toss to coat. Cover with parchment-lined foil. Transfer to oven, and cook until tender, roughly 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, clean seeds and transfer to a small baking sheet; bake until dried out. When dried, cook in one tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and let stand until cool. Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a blender, puree squash and cooked carrots until smooth. Stir in honey, salt and nutmeg. Transfer to a serving bowl, set aside and keep cool. Keep the roasted seeds as garnish.
3. To prepare the beetroot, place the washed beetroot on a baking tray and bake in a oven at 160C until cooked. Set aside, cool down and remove skin. Cut in half, then in quarters.
4. To prepare the dressing, put the mustard in a bowl and add salt, pepper and the garlic. Then add the vinegar and both oils. Stir slowly.
   Add the fresh herbs and oregano and a little sugar when needed.
5. To finish the plate, place all ingredients as per the picture above and you’re ready to serve. This should be enough to serve 10 people.