Kumara Bacon Salad

Let's be honest... If something has bacon in it, it's going to taste pretty dam good, right?!
✔4-5 red Sweetas Kumara (peeled and cubed)
✔3-4 rashers of bacon
✔Cherry tomatoes, quartered
✔1 red capsicum, finely sliced
✔70g goats feta, cubed
✔large handful of baby spinach, chopped
1) Toss the cubed kumara in a touch of olive oil with salt and pepper. Lay out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Place in the oven 200C. Bake for 15 minutes.
2) After 15 minutes, lay the bacon rashers on top of the kumara, turn the oven up to 220C. Bake for another 15-20minutes until nice and golden.
3) Let the kumara and bacon, cool a bit; roughly chop the bacon up.
4) Add all the ingredients into a serving bowl, gently toss.
Delish!! Enjoy, no dressing needed

Recipe created by Nicci Webb from At a Pinch (www.atapinch.com)

This is a great addition to barbecue food! Cut the vegetables into big bold pieces for the best effect and ease of cooking.2 medium peppers, deseeded and cut into chunky wedges
3 courgettes or 1 medium egg plant, cut into 1 cm thick slices or slabs
2 onions, cut into wedges
8-10 whole unpeeled cloves of garlic
2 medium kumara, peeled and sliced into 1/2 cm thick slabs (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp brown sugar
freshly ground black pepper

Place all the prepared vegetables in a baking dish. When cutting the onions, leave part of the base on so the wedge stays together when cooked. Combine the oil, crushed garlic, sugar and pepper. Stir into the vegetables to evenly coat. Cook on a medium to hot barbecue plate for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Serves 4-6.

The richness of the beetroot, the tangy flavour of horseradish and the mellow taste of the kumara make this combination truly special.2 medium gold or orange kumara, sliced
2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
3 beetroot, unpeeled and cut into wedges
8 whole button mushrooms
2 tsp horseradish sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp brown sugar
freshly ground black pepperPlace the prepared vegetables in a baking dish. When cutting the onions, leave part of the base on so the wedge stays together when cooked. Combine the horseradish, oil, lemon juice, sugar and pepper.
Pour over the vegetables. Mix to evenly coat. Bake at 200°C for 25-35 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Alternatively cook on a medium to hot barbecue plate for about 10-15 minutes or until tender.
Serves 4.

1kg purple kumara
1.4kg pork shoulder roast
salt for seasoning
4 apples
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 bunch watercressPreheat the oven to 180°C. Remove any string and open out the pork roast so it is half the thickness. Season the pork well
with salt on both sides.
Wash the purple kumara well and slice into 1cm rounds. Slice the apples into quarters, remove the cores and slice each piece again in half. Place the kumara and apples into a roasting dish and toss with the oil and honey. Season with salt and roast in the oven for an hour, tossing occasionally.
Place the pork crackling side up onto a rack then place over a baking dish in the oven. Roast for 1 hour.
Wash the watercress well and arrange on a large serving platter. Place the kumara and apple over the watercress, drizzling over any remaining honey. Carve the pork and crackling and arrange around the vegetables.
Serves 4.
TIP: If your pork crackling isn't as crisp as you'd like, grill it until crispy.

3-4 medium red kumara (600g), scrubbed & sliced thinly (1/2cm thick)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons runny honey
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 red onions, cut into chunky wedges
lettuce leaves to serve (optional)Place the vegetables in a roasting pan. Combine the lemon juice, oil, honey & fennel seeds. Pour over the vegetables. Bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes or until tender & golden brown. Serve either as is, or cool slightly & toss through lettuce leaves.
Serves 4-6.

4-5 medium gold kumara (700g)
2 tbsp boiling water
1/4 cup craisins or currants
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp toasted pinenutsPour the boiling water over the craisins, allow to stand while the kumara cooks. Peel the kumara and cut into chunks, boil for 15-20 minutes or until softened. Drain. Add the oil, vinegar and sugar to the water and craisins. Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Place the kumara, spring onions and pinenuts in a bowl. Pour the cranberry dressing over and turn gently. Serve either warm or cold.
Serves 4.

800g Red Kumara, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup broad beans
1 tablespoon extra olive oil
3 slices prosciutto
2 cups wild rocket
1/2 punnet cherry tomatoesDressing
3 tablespoons each: balsamic vinegar, olive oil
1 small clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the kumara in a roasting dish lined with baking paper. Drizzle over the olive oil and honey and toss to combine. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the kumara is tender and golden. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the broad beans, bring the water back to the boil and blanch for 1 minute. Drain. Run the broad beans under cold water to cool, then peel them.
Heat the extra olive oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add the prosciutto slices and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until they are crispy. Break the slices into smaller pieces.
To prepare the dressing, combine all the ingredients. Place the rocket, kumara, broad beans, halved cherry tomatoes and prosciutto in a salad bowl. Add the dressing and toss gently.
Serves 4.

3 large kumara
220g tin pineapple pieces (in juice)
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup chopped green pepperDressing:
1 tsp lemon rind
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp oil
freshly ground black pepper
Scrub the kumara, do not peel. Cut in half and boil for 20-25 minutes or until softened but still firm. Drain, cut into bite-sized chunks. Drain the pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice. Place the kumara, pineapple, walnuts and green pepper in a bowl. Pour over the dressing and mix well. Serve either warm or chilled.
Dressing:
Blend the lemon rind, reserved pineapple juice, oil and pepper together.
Serves 4.

600g red kumara
600g baking roasting potatoes
600g carrotsSeasoning:
2 tblspn olive oil
2 tspn crushed garlic
1 tspn rosemary - fresh (chopped) or dried
1 tspn cumin seeds
1 tspn yellow mustard seeds
salt & pepper
Dressing:
1 cup sour cream
2 tblspn whole grain mustard
1/2 medium sized red onion, finely diced
flat leafed parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
Cube the vegetables leaving the skins on and combine with seasonings in a roasting dish.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and tender. Cool.
Combine dressing ingredients and stir through cooled vegetable mixture.
Serves 6.

4-5 medium kumara
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1/2 teaspoon plain salt
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 rashers bacon
1 bunch flat-leaf parsleyWash the kumara, cut into slices and dry them well. Toss in the canola oil and cook on a barbecue at a medium heat for 20-25 minutes, turning them occasionally until they are soft when pierced with a knife.
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and honey. While still whisking, slowly pour in the oil. Keep whisking until the mixture is well combined and thick in consistency.
In a medium-sized frying pan, fry the bacon until it is crisp and drain it on paper towels. Chop the bacon roughly and set it aside. Pick the parsley leaves off the stalks, discard the stalks and chop the leaves finely.
Toss the kumara in the mustard and vinaigrette mixture. Add the bacon and parsley and mix through.
Serves 6.

2 golden kumara, unpeeled and cut into thin (2-3 mm) slabs
2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges
12 mushrooms
3 beetroot, unpeeled and cut into wedges
4 lean venison sausages
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey or brown sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice or white vinegar
1 bunch watercressPlace the prepared vegetables and sausages in a baking dish. Blend the oil, honey and lemon juice together. Pour over and mix well. Bake, uncovered in a hot oven for 45-55 minutes or until the kumara is golden and tender. Turn during cooking.
Place the watercress on each serving plate and top with the roasted vegetables.
Pour 1/4 cup boiling water into the roasting pan, stir to loosen the cooking juices, pour over the salad.
Serves 4.

1kg Gold Kumara
1 kg beetroot, washed
2 tablespoons canola oil
salt for seasoning
1/4 cup wholegrain mustard
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 oranges
1 bunch Italian parsley, destalked and chopped roughlyCover the beetroot with water in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes until a knife passes
through them easily.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wash the Gold Kumara and slice into 1 cm rounds. Slice each round in half through the middle. Place kumara into a large baking dish and toss with the canola oil. Season then roast for 35 minutes, tossing occasionally.
When the beetroot is cooked, drain, peel under cool running water and slice into wedges. To make the dressing, place the mustard, turmeric and olive oil into a mixing bowl.
Zest the oranges and add zest to the bowl. Cut away all the skin and white pith from the oranges. With a sharp paring knife, cut out each segment of the oranges over the bowl. Squeeze out any remaining juice into the bowl and discard the pith. Stir to combine.
Divide the dressing and parsley between the kumara and beetroot and toss each one to coat. Arrange the kumara and beetroot on a serving platter to serve.
Serves 4-6.
TIP: The purple, orange and golden kumara varieties all work well in these recipes.

Use the lemon vinaigrette below or just add a little grated lemon peel to a bought one.4-5 medium cooked kumara (700g),
cut into chunks
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup roughly chopped blanched peanuts
2 spring onions, finely sliced

Dressing:
2 tbsp lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup oil
1 tbsp sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup coriander leaves (optional)

Place the kumara, bananas, peanuts and spring onions in a bowl.
Blend dressing ingredients together. Pour over the salad and turn gently.
Serves 4-6.

1kg red kumara, scrubbed and
chopped into 2cm pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 rashers streaky bacon
2 teaspoons each: liquid honey,
Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 spring onions, slicedPreheat the oven to 200°C. Toss the kumara in the olive oil and place in a single layer in a roasting dish. Cook for 30-40 minutes until kumara is golden and tender.
Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over high heat and cook bacon until crisp. Remove from heat and chop into small pieces.
Place the honey, mustard and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk.
Toss the kumara, bacon and spring onion together on a platter and drizzle over the dressing.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
TIP: This tasty salad is easily made hours ahead of time and is great for casual lunches and dinners, served with barbecued or grilled meats.

500g red kumara
500g carrots
1/2 small red onion
handful fresh coriander leaves,
chopped roughly
Dressing:
juice of 2 limes
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon hot English mustard
1 tablespoon honey
2/3 cup canola oilPeel the kumara and carrots and wash them well. Grate both vegetables into a large bowl. Slice the onion very thinly and add it to the bowl with the coriander leaves.
To make the dressing, place all the dressing ingredients except the oil into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk gently while pouring in the oil in a steady stream.
Toss the dressing through the kumara and carrot mix. Chill the salad in the fridge in a bowl covered in cling film until serving time.
Serves 6.
TIP: The chilli and lime flavours in this dish make it ideal as part of a barbecue on a hot summer's day.

Salad:
4-6 kumaras, scrubbed and cut into equal-sized pieces
2 tablespoons each: light olive oil, honey
zest of 1/2 orange
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
salt and pepper
130g mesclun lettuce
2-3 oranges, segmented
2-3 spring onions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
Mayonnaise:
4 tablespoons each: mayonnaise, sour cream
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3-4 tablespoons orange juice
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, orange zest and juice (if you want to drizzle the mayonnaise over the salad then thin it with orange juice). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Place the olive oil, honey, orange zest and chilli flakes in a clean plastic bag. Add the kumara pieces and toss until well coated with the mixture.
Tip on to the prepared oven tray and spread out to a single layer. Season well. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool a little.
When ready to serve, pile the mesclun on to a serving platter. Top with the roasted kumara, orange segments, spring onions and mint. Serve with the citrus mayonnaise.
Serves 6-8.
TIP: You can add cooked chicken to make this salad a complete meal.

A wonderful combination of flavours makes this colourful salad meal a favourite.
3 cups cooked, chunky sliced gold kumara
12-15 mesculin mix / lettuce leaves
1-1/2 cups tomato wedges
2 peppers, sliced
2 cups lightly blanched broccoli florets
100g thinly sliced pastrami OR 350g beef sirloin or scotch fillet, rare roasted and sliced thinly
1/2 small prince, or honeydew melon, peeled, deseeded and sliced
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt
1 tbsp horseradish cream sauce
2 tbsp milk

Arrange the salad greens on individual serving plates. Arrange/scatter the tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, kumara, beef and melon slices over the lettuce. Blend the sour cream, horseradish sauce and milk until smooth and creamy, adding a little extra milk if necessary to achieve a pouring consistency. Drizzle over the salad.
Serves 4.

4 large orange kumara
400g fresh baby beetroot
1 large garlic bulb (unpeeled)
2 large red onions
2 tblspns olive oil
1 tblspn balsamic vinegar
1 tspn honey
60ml olive oil
3 tblspns lemon juice
100g baby spinach leaves (stalks removed)
100g fetaCut the kumara into bite size chunks & lightly coat in a little olive oil. Wash & trim the baby beetroot. Bake kumara, beetroot & whole garlic on an oven tray 180°C for 40 minutes. Remove, peel the garlic & squeeze out cloves.
Slice the red onion into large wedges & saute in frypan with olive oil for a good 10 minutes on a low heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey and saute a further few minutes.
Combine the 60ml olive oil with the lemon juice and garlic cloves.
Place kumara, baby beetroot, red onion & spinach leaves in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss through the oil and lemon dressing. Serve on a large platter or individual plates. Sprinkle feta lightly over the top of salad.
Try this recipe with cooked, sliced lean venison sausages... delicious!
Serves 6.

500g kumara
3 thin slices of onion
2 oranges
2 tsp chopped parsley
1/4 cup oil
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
fresh black pepperCook peeled kumara in salted water until tender. Drain. Slice kumara and place in salad bowl. Break onion slices into rings. Peel oranges and remove all white pith. Slice crosswise and add the orange and onion to the kumara. Place parsley, oil and vinegar in a screw top jar and shake to combine. Pour dressing over the salad. Toss lightly and chill.
Serves 4.
Note: This recipe is excellent using a combination of kaipara red and kaipara orange kumara.

2 orange kumara
2 gold kumara
scallops (allow minimum 4 per person depending on size)
olive oil
baby spinach leaves
dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tblspns white wine vinegar
2 tblspns lemon juice
1 tblspn sweet chilli sauce
1 tblspn chopped parsley
Peel the kumara & cut into small chunks. Boil in salted water until just cooked then drain well.
Heat olive oil and cook scallops in a hot pan very quickly each side until just brown. Drain scallops on paper towel to remove any excess oil.
Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Place the kumara, scallops, spinach leaves & a little of the dressing in a large bowl & gently toss to combine.
Serve on a large platter or individual plates & drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad.
Servings: 4 small portions.

5-6 (750g) Medium cooked Kumara, cut into thick slices
7-8 stalks of Asparagus cooked until tender
200g roughly chopped Hazelnuts
Mixed lettuce leaves
For the dressing
2tbsp lemon juice
5tbsp olive oil
1 level tsp salt 1 level tsp freshly ground black pepperPlace the lettuce leaves on a plate, layer the Kumara and Asparagus over the lettuce.
Sprinkle with the choppped hazelnuts, pour over the Olive Oil and Lemon dressing and turn gently.
Serves 4-6.

4 gold or orange kumara, washed, unpeeled and cut into wedges
2 Tblspns olive oil
3 tomatoes, deseeded and sliced
100g blue cheese (more or less to taste)
1/2 packet mesclun salad
extra drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
salt and pepperPlace the prepared kumara in a baking dish. Pour over the oil and mix well. Bake, uncovered in a hot oven for 45-55 minutes or until the kumara is golden and tender. Turn during cooking.
Place the mesclun salad in a bowl and gently toss with the extra olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Place on each serving plate then scatter tomato, kumara and blue cheese on top.
Serve as is, or with a creamy blue cheese dressing for extra bite.
Serves 4.

4 medium size kumara, peeled
4 carrots, peeled
1 tblspn fennel seeds
1 tblspn honey
3 tblspns olive oil
salt & pepperCut the kumara and carrots into chunks. Place in a roasting dish and combine with all other ingredients. Make sure the kumara and carrots are well coated with the honey and oil.
Roast uncovered in a moderate oven until vegetables are tender (approximately 30 minutes).
This dish can be served hot as a vegetable or cold as a salad. The combined honey and fennel seeds impart a beautiful flavour to the vegetables.
Serves 4.

8 golden kumara
2 spring onions, finely chopped
handful of shaved parmesan
punnet cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup quality mayonnaise (e.g. Best Foods)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 packet of baby spinach leaves (raw)
ground black pepper

Peel kumara, and chop into bite-sized chunks. Place a sheet of baking paper which has been sprayed with olive oil into a baking dish. Add the kumara, and spray with olive oil. Roast until golden and tender. Cool.
Place in a bowl with the mayonnaise, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and lemon juice. Mix well.
Place spinach leaves on platter. Place kumara in the middle. Chop cherry tomatoes in half, and add to the kumara. Scatter with spring onions. Spoon over the mayonnaise. Scatter with parmesan and grind black pepper over the top.
Serve at room temperature, or chilled.
Serves 4.

1 large Gold, Red and Orange Kumara; peeled
3 large beetroot
3 tblspn white wine vinegar
1 tspn hot English mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tspn honey
large pinch of sea salt fl akes and
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
75g walnut pieces
handful fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped

Cover the beetroot in water and bring it to the boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes until the beets are soft right through when pierced with a knife.
Cool the beets under running cold water. Peel off the skin while beets are under the running water. Set aside.
Place the vinegar, mustard, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Keep whisking while the oil is very slowly drizzled into the bowl.
Grate the beetroot and add it to the dressing with the walnuts and parsley. Stir to combine.
Grate the kumara over the beetroot mixture. Partially mix in the kumara so that it takes on a "marbled" look. Spoon the salad into a bowl and serve immediately.
Serves 6.