Recipe: Kokako's Roast Vege Salad with Feta and Kale Pesto

A classic - Kokako Cafe's recipe lifts roast vegetables beyond the ordinary. Photo / Ted Baghurst

Roast vegetables are a quick dinner staple. If you're after a new set of flavours, try this recipe from organic and fairtrade-friendly Kokako Cafe, which pairs parsnip, carrot and artichoke with feta and a savoury kale pesto.

Serves 4

Kale Pesto

• 100g kale
• 2 garlic cloves
• 40g grated Parmesan
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 30g toasted pine nuts
• 100ml olive oil

1. Blend with a stick blender and season.

Salad Ingredients

• 2 parsnips peeled
• 200g Jerusalem artichokes scrubbed
• 100g baby purple carrots cleaned and trimmed
• 100g baby orange carrots cleaned and trimmed
• 20g peeled garlic cloves
• 15g rosemary
• 50ml olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cauliflower cut into florettes
• 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Good quality feta
• Italian parsley

1. Clean and trim baby carrots and peel and quarter parsnips.

2. Cut root vegetables and cut into similar sized pieces so they all roast the same. Reserve cauliflower and tomatoes!

3. Season well and roast at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes until just tender and coloured.

4. Half-way through roasting add cauliflower.

5. Arrange roasted vegetables nicely on the plate.

6. Top with cherry tomatoes and dollops of kale pesto.

7. Finish with Italian parsley leaves and crumbled feta.

8. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and a good crack of pepper.

Get more info on Kokako here, or drop by their vegetarian cafe at 537 Great North Road, Grey Lynn. To make sure you're on the list for more recipes, sign up to our newsletter. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.