Roasted root vegetables with labneh recipe

These roasted root vegetables are a great addition to any meal. Serve on their own as a starter, with roasted meat or as a delicious alternative to Christmas side dishes. 

Ingredients

For the roasted roots For the labneh

Details

  • Cuisine: British
  • Recipe Type: Side
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Preparation Time: 60 mins
  • Cooking Time: 530 mins
  • Serves: 4

Step-by-step

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (355°F/Gas Mark 4).
  2. Trim the base and top from the fennel, reserving any green frondy leaves.
  3. Remove the outer layer of the bulb if it’s a little tired then halve the bulb, and cut each half into 3 or 4 wedges.
  4. Add the beetroot, celeriac, fennel and onion to a roasting tray, along with the garlic cloves, sage leaves, rosemary and fennel seeds.
  5. Season with plenty of salt and pepper, trickle everything generously with olive oil and toss together well.
  6. Roast the veg for about 30 mins then gently stir it with a spatula.
  7. Scatter over the pumpkin seeds and return the tray to the oven for a further 15–20 mins or until everything is tender and beginning to colour.
  8. Remove the tray from the oven and stir again. Allow to cool for 10–15 mins.
  9. To serve, spread the labneh out over a large platter.
  10. Arrange the warm roasted vegetables over the top, then give everything a final trickle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
  11. If you have reserved any fennel tops, tear them over the salad just before you serve.

For the labneh:

  1. This should be done at least 6 hours before you want to eat the dish but you can actually start it several days in advance.
  2. Place the yoghurt or milk in a bowl, add the salt and stir it in thoroughly.
  3. Line a large sieve with a square of clean muslin, cheesecloth or even a very thin cotton tea towel. Spoon the salted yoghurt into the cloth then gather up the sides.
  4. Tie the cloth at the top so it encloses the yoghurt. You can suspend the ball of yoghurt over a bowl so it can drain, or leave it sitting in its sieve over a bowl.
  5. Transfer it to the fridge and leave it for 6–8 hours or overnight.
  6. The labneh is ready when a significant amount of liquid has drained into the bowl and the yoghurt has the texture of thick crème fraiche.
  7. Transfer the labneh from the cloth into a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

This recipe was created by Gill Meller, using organic ingredients, for the launch of Organic Feed Your Happy Christmas and the Soil Association's Organic Christmas Marketplace.

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