This is a fresh and colourful salad, ideal to brighten up the dark days during February. With Spring just around the corner and the promise of an array of British produce to come, this is a great recipe to utilise the remaining root vegetables still on offer.

As always, you are able to pick up all the ingredients for this salad in the farm shop:

• 6 beetroot
• Salt & pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 700g squash
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp light sugar
• 2 oranges, peeled & segmented
• 75g feta cheese

For the dressing you will need:

• 150g shelled unsalted pistachios
• Grated zest & juice of 1 orange
• 1 red chilli, chopped & deseeded (if preferred)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley or coriander
• Salt & pepper

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius or gas mark 6.
2. Put the beetroot in a tray with a little water, salt & pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Cover with foil and roast for about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into eighths.
3. At the same time, cut the squash in half lengthways, remove seeds the peel and slice across into pieces about 1cm thick.
4. Place on a roasting tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, roast for about 30 minutes until tender.
5. Meanwhile, place the red onion, balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small bowl, mix well and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
6. Make the dressing by toasting the pistachios in a medium over or small frying pan, then allow to cool. Chop roughly and mix with the other dressing ingredients.
7. Toss the beetroot and squash in the last remaining tbsp  of olive oil and add the marinated onions. Season with salt & pepper, add the oranges and drizzle with pistachio dressing.
8. To serve, crumble feta cheese over the top.

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This recipe is taken from ‘Everyday & Sunday Recipes from Riverford Farm’ written by Guy Watson & Jane Baxter.

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