As we get further into winter we all crave warming, comforting food. Cold salad definitely don’t get anybody excited this time of the year. This carrot, chestnut and figs salad is the perfect example of a warming winter salad. It packs so many gorgeous colours too, so it will look beautiful while also tasting amazing. The roasted carrots and chestnuts are sweet and tender, while the lamb lettuce and the pomegranate add a nice fresh note. The pomegranate and balsamic dressing adds a tangy edge that brings all the elements of the dish together. This salad is obviously ideal as a side dish but it’s great as main meal too, just add some cooked quinoa or some crumbled goat cheese to make it more filling.

Ingredients:

• 60 gr of lamb lettuce

• 1 pack of Merchant Gourmet cooked chestnut

• 3 medium carrots

• 4 fresh figs

• ½ pomegranate

• ½ cup of chopped pistachios

• For the dressing:
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

• The juice of the ½ pomegranate

• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil for roasting

• Salt and pepper

1. Start by preheating the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Wash and peel the carrots and chop them into big chunks
3. Toss the carrots into some coconut oil or olive oil and season them with salt and pepper
4. Roast them in the oven for 30-40 minutes until they are soft.
5. While the carrots are roasting make the dressing. Before removing the seeds from the pomegranate squeeze it with your hands onto a bowl until the juice come out. You should get at least 3 tablespoons of juice.
6. Mix the pomegranate juice with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Remove the seeds and leave them onto side
7. slice the figs lengthways in 4 pieces, chop the chestnut in bite size pieces.

8. Once the carrots are cooked place them into a salad bowl and add the lamb lettuce, sliced figs and chopped chestnuts.