LOVE YOUR ROOTS

ROOT VEG AND PEARL BARLEY CHICKEN CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

8 bone-in chicken thighs

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 sticks celery, sliced

11/2 tbsp plain flour

125ml white wine

900ml chicken stock

3 small parsnips, thickly sliced

300g Chantenay carrots, halved

1 tbsp tomato purée

100g pearl barley, rinsed

sprig thyme

bay leaf

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large flame-proof casserole dish and brown the chicken all over. Set to one side. Reduce the heat, add the onion and cook for 10 minutes until nicely softened. Add the garlic and celery and cook for 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring all the time.

2. Whisk in the wine and stock and gradually bring to the boil, stirring and whisking all the time. Once smooth and beginning to thicken, add the parsnips, carrots and pearl barley and return the chicken to the pan. Add the tomato purée, thyme and bay, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the barley is tender. Season well, scatter with the parsley and more fresh thyme and serve straight away.

ROOT VEG AND CHICKPEA TAGINE INGREDIENTS

2 sweet potatoes

3 carrots

200g turnip

3 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, halved and sliced

4 garlic cloves

1 tsp cumin seed

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 cinnamon stick

2 tbsp harissa

300ml vegetable stock

200g can chopped tomatoes

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

100g dried apricots, halved

6 tbsp roughly chopped coriander

METHOD

1 Once peeled, cut the root veggies into rough 5cm cubes and set to one side. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and add the onions. Gently cook for 5 minutes until nicely softened. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the ground coriander, cinnamon stick and harissa and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

2 Add the vegetables and stir to coat before adding the stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chickpeas and apricots plus a little boiling water if you feel it needs it.

3 Simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes until thickened and rich and the vegetables are tender. Season to taste and stir in the coriander. Serve with hot couscous, lemon wedges, an extra scattering of coriander and a spoonful of cool natural yoghurt mixed with a little more harissa.

CELERIAC AND POTATO GRAIN INGREDIENTS

300ml double cream

400ml milk

1 garlic clove, sliced

sprig rosemary

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp butter

500g celeriac, peeled and thinly sliced

500g floury potatoes, thinly sliced

50g Parmesan, finely grated

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 4. Place the cream, milk, garlic and rosemary in a pan and gently heat, bringing almost up to boiling point. Remove from the heat, stir in the mustard and season well. Liberally butter a 2-litre, shallow ovenproof dish and place a layer of potatoes in the bottom. Add a layer of celeriac and add some of the cream mixture.

2 Repeat this process, scatter with half the Parmesan and repeat again until all of the potato, celeriac and cream have been used up. Scatter with the remaining Parmesan, loosely cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve straight away.

ROAST ROOT VEG AND HALLOUMI WITH KALE PESTO INGREDIENTS

2 sweet potato, cubed

250g baby carrots

1/2 celeriac, cubed

1 head kohlrabi, cubed

2 red onions, cut into wedges

3 medium beetroot

4 tbsp olive oil

2 x 250g packs halloumi, thickly sliced

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

For the kale pesto:

50g kale leaves

50g pine nuts

50g Pecorino, finely grated

1 garlic clove, crushed

5 tbsp olive oil

squeeze of lemon juice

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Place the root vegetables in a large roasting tinned drizzle with the oil. Season well and roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place the halloumi on top and roast for a further 15 minutes until the veggies are tender and the cheese is golden.

2 Meanwhile, to make the pesto, place the kale in a blender along with the olive oil and garlic and whizz until finely chopped. Add the pine nuts, cheese and a squeeze of lemon. Season well and whizz again until you have a thick but nicely textured pesto. Add more oil to get the right loose consistency if it needs it.

3 To serve, scatter the roast veggies with the parsley, divide among four warmed shallow bowls, topping with the halloumi and then spoon some of the pesto over.