Kiwi-glazed yam + Brussels salad with apple, parmesan + za’atar
This is one of my favourite winter salads to make - it's always a celebration when the NZ yam season comes around. Yams are often roasted with a honey glaze to enhance their natural sweetness, and this recipe steps things up a little, using a blitzed kiwifruit glaze to coat the vegetables in the final minutes of roasting. Matched with the slightly bitter Brussels sprouts, sharp parmesan, zingy apple and aromatic za'atar, this salad if packed with flavour, texture and flair.
Top Tip - yam is the name used in NZ for the Oca root vegetable - not to be confused with the American yam or sweet potato, although this would make a great substitute if NZ yams are not available.
hands-on time
25 minutes
45 minutes
total time
6 as a side
serves
Ingredients
400g Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, outer leaves removed and halved
400g yams, halved
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp cracked black pepper
¾ tsp sea salt
2 kiwifruit, peeled, ends trimmed
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp honey
finely grated zest of 1 lime
juice of 1 lime
1 green apple, cored and thinly sliced into half moons
juice of ½ lime
50g parmesan, shaved
Za’atar
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp sumac
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced (or 200°C conventional). Line a large roasting dish with baking paper.
For the salad, place the halved Brussels sprouts and yams in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, chilli flakes, black pepper and ½ tsp sea salt, tossing to evenly coat. Tip out into the lined roasting dish and spread out the vegetables into a single layer. Roast for 30-35 minutes, giving the vegetables a toss at halfway, until the yams are just cooked through (a knife should pierce through them easily but they still hold their shape well) and the Brussels sprouts are starting to char at the edges.
As the vegetables are roasting, make the kiwifruit glaze. Place the kiwifruit, garlic, ginger, honey, lime zest, juice of ½ lime and remaining ¼ tsp sea salt in a tall container or small bowl. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth; set aside.
For the za’atar, in a small frying pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds for a couple of minutes until golden. Transfer the seeds to a small bowl, add the remaining za’atar ingredients, and mix to combine; set aside.
To finish the salad, once the vegetables are cooked through, remove from the oven, pour over the kiwifruit glaze and toss through the vegetables to evenly coat. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, to allow the glaze to caramelise a little. In a small bowl, toss together the sliced apple and remaining juice of ½ lime to coat. Remove the glazed vegetables from the oven, add the apple to the roasting dish and toss through. Spoon the warm roasted vegetables and apple onto a serving platter. Top with the shaved parmesan and a liberal sprinkling of za’atar. Serve warm or at room temperature.