Time saver: kumara is the Maori word for sweet potato but you don’t have to be in NZ to make this. This tasty salad (and variations of it) is one of my favourites. It’s pretty simple to make and delicious to eat.

I wrote this up a while ago, and since I’m now in the Northern Hemisphere and heading for summer it seems like a good time to bring it out. This is the basic recipe, you can play around and try things out. I think Mum throws in some toasted cumin seeds and does something else a little different too. Enjoy.

Kumara and chorizo salad – serves 2 (as a main)

• 1 large kumara (sweet potato), peeled, cut into slices/wedges (about 400g)
• 1 medium red onion peeled, cut into wedges
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 100g feta, cubed
• 200g chorizo sausage
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp pine nuts (optional)
• 70g-100g rocket leaves
• salt
• black pepper

1. Put kumura and red onion in roasting dish, drizzle with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and some cracked black pepper, then mix well to ensure everything is well coated.
2. Roast for 30 min at 200°C (390°F), stirring/turning halfway through.
3. While that’s roasting, toast pine nuts in a small frying pan, stirring/shaking frequently to avoid burning. When browned, remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Zest orange, then cut in half and juice it. Combine the zest, 4 Tbsp orange juice, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and mix well.
5. Slice chorizo diagonally, into 5mm thick slices. then fry in a frying pan till browned. (You can use a little oil to get things started.)
6. Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl, mix well to combine then serve.