Warm Chestnut Squash and White Bean Salad

This is really not a salad but a delicious main meal in itself. The denser nuttier texture of the chestnut squash makes this a perfect alternative to meat. If however you cannot live without meat, it is perfect served along side a roast lamb, or any grilled meat or fish.

2 tsps Morrocan La Kama, organic
120 grams (2/3 cup) dried white beans, soaked overnight in cold water or 2 x g cans of white beans
1 bay leaf
1 bushy stem fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1kg chestnut/poitmarron squash
2cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp balmasic vinegar
salt to taste

For the dressing:
2 tbps olive oil
1 tsp orabge flower water
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2-3 tbsps pinenuts, toasted
A small bunch of coriander, roughly shopped (optional)

Rinse and drain the white beans. Place them in a medium saucepan with 75 cl cold water and the bay leaf. Set over medium-high heat, cover, bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender, but before they get mushy. 45 minutes into the cooking, add the rosemary and coarse salt. When the beans are cooked, drain, discard the bay leaf, and keep warm.
Alternatively drain the cans of beans rinse well and heat gently in a pan covered with water alongwith the bay leaf, rosemary and salt. Drain once warmed through discard the bay leaf and keep warm.
To roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 220°C . Cut the squash into eight wedges, deseed, scrape, and peel each wedge. Cut the flesh into 2-cm cubes. Place the squash and the garlic in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar, sprinkle with la kama and salt, and toss to coat well. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through.

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