Warm Mushroom and Parsnip Salad

This is a combination of some of my favourite Hugh F-W recipes and a couple of my own favourite things.  The boy-f told me last night that I should start a restaurant on the basis of this salad... bless his kindness, but it would be a very limited menu!

Warm Mushroom and Parsnip Salad.

Serves 2 main portions.

Salad:
200g Chestnut Mushrooms
2-3 large or 4-5 medium/small Parsnips
Rocket, watercress and baby spinach leaves, 2-3 good handfulls per serving.
100g Blue Stilton (optional)
50g Pine Nuts
EVOO
Salt and Pepper
Good knob of soya margarine.

Dressing:
1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3tbsp EVOO

Warm the oven to 200C.  Peel and trim the parsnips.  Halve and quarter them into 4cm chunks.  Toss them in EVOO, lightly, just to cover and season.  Put in a tray and into the oven for 40 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times during their cooking.

Dice the stilton (if being used) into 1 cm chunks and place in a serving bowl with the pine nuts.  Layer the salad leaves on top and set aside.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and stir very well, set aside.

As the parsnips are nearing the end of their cooking, approx. 15 minutes from the end, cut the mushrooms into three thick slices and fry for 5-10 minutes in a tbsp of EVOO, a good knob of margarine and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper

Once the mushrooms have been cooked, lift out of the pan, add the parsnips and set aside to cool slightly. .

Once cooled mix the mushrooms and parsnips with the rest of the salad and dress.

I serve it a with sweet tomato and pesto flatbread.