A salad in winter? Yes, please! Although it’s soup-and-stew season, there are few things better than a fresh (and seasonal) salad to tantalise your tastebuds. Indulge in the flavours of winter with these three yummy salads.  

Sweet chilli butternut salad 

Serves 4 // Prep time 25 minutes // Cooking time 1 hour 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

1 large butternut
1 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
¾ cup bulgur wheat
1½ tsp chicken stock powder
200g mixed salad leaves
1 block feta, crumbled 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Peel and halve the butternut. Scoop out the seeds and rinse with water to remove any strings and pieces of butternut. Pat the seeds dry with a paper towel and toss with a drizzle of oil and salt to taste. Place the seeds in an even layer on a baking tray and roast for 5–10 minutes or until golden and starting to pop. Set aside.
3. Chop the butternut into bite-sized pieces. Toss in oil and sweet chilli sauce, season and place on a baking tray. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden, about 1 hour.
4. Place the bulgur wheat in a pot with 1½ cups water and stock powder. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover with a lid and cook until all the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the bulgur wheat to steam, covered, for 5–10 minutes. Season and set aside until cool.
5. Layer the salad leaves, bulgur wheat and roasted butternut in a large serving bowl. Top with the crumbled feta and toasted seeds.

Recipes & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen, Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Chanelle Naudt 

Harissa beef salad  

Serves 4 // Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients 

For the salad

250g hanger steak
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp harissa
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
Handful watercress
2 Tbsp toasted and chopped walnuts 

For the dressing 

Juice of ½ lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil  

Method 

1. Rub the steak with oil and harissa. Cook in a very hot griddle pan for 3 minutes on each side. Rest meat for 10 minutes, then cut into thin slices.
2. Toss the oranges and watercress with the lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the steak, orange and watercress on plates. Sprinkle with nuts.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Colourful roast vegetable salad 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 35 minutes 

Ingredients 

500g beetroots, quartered
500g baby rainbow carrots, halved
2 Tbsp olive oil, + extra to serve
Salt and milled pepper
50g pumpkin seeds
100g baby spinach
100g ricotta
Balsamic vinegar, to serve 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place beetroots and carrots on a baking tray. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss to ensure the vegetables are fully coated.
3. Roast the veggies for 20 minutes, until tender and golden.
4. Scatter with pumpkin seeds and roast for a further 5 minutes.
5. To serve, arrange roast veggies on a platter with baby spinach and ricotta. Season with more salt and pepper. Dress the salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil & Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za