Fall for this savory pumpkin salad recipe from James Beard Award Winner Michael Schwartz

By Lindsey Turnbull on 18th September, 2014

James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink at Camana Bay on Grand Cayman has created a roasted pumpkin salad that’s perfect for any fall festivity. This easy to make recipe combines fresh pumpkin, quinoa, long beans and heart of palm with a savory parsley vinaigrette, making it the ideal seasonal side dish for a dinner party or a Thanksgiving celebration.

Michael originally created this dish for Slow Food Day, an annual daylong celebration of the Cayman Islands’ farmers and fishermen that calls attention to eating locally and sourcing sustainability. Pumpkin is available almost year-round in the Cayman Islands and can be found at the weekly Farmers & Artisans Market at Camana Bay.

Please see below for this great recipe

Roasted Pumpkin Salad with quinoa, long beans, herbs, heart of palm and parsley vinaigrette

Serves 6

•   3 quarts fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into large cubes

•   1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

•   Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

•   3 cups cooked quinoa

•   1 pound long beans

•   1/2  cup heart of palm, shaved

•   Salt and pepper to taste

•   1 cup parsley vinaigrette

•   1/2 cup scallion, sliced thinly

•   1/2 cup parsley leaves

•   1/2  cup cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the cut pumpkin on a sheet pan, dress with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the pumpkin until it becomes tender, about 12 minutes. Once tender, remove and allow to cool at room temperature. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the long beans for 15 seconds then shock into ice water to stop the cooking. Once the long beans are chilled, cut into 2 inch long pieces. To assemble the salad, warm the roasted pumpkin in an oven set at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the warm pumpkin, cooked quinoa, long beans, shaved heart of palm and season with salt and pepper. Toss with the vinaigrette and herbs. Serve while the salad is warm.