Roast vegetables

SPICE MIXTURE

5 ml paprika

2 ml ground ginger

2 ml ground coriander

2 ml freshly ground black pepper

1 ml fresh cardamom

1 ml ground cinnamon

1 ml ground allspice

5 ml salt

juice of 1 lemon

30 ml olive oil

VEGETABLES

2 large carrots, halved lengthways and halved again

2 parsnips or sweet potatoes, cut into chunks

3 medium-size onions, cut into wedges

180 ml vegetable stock

1 yellow pepper, sliced into strips

1 green pepper, sliced into strips

2 young brinjals, sliced into rings

4 baby marrows, sliced like carrots

½ butternut, cut into thick fingers

250 g portabello mushrooms, wiped

Mix all the ingredients for the spice mixture to form a paste and spread over the vegetables.

Arrange the carrots, parsnips and onions in an oven pan.

Pour over the vegetable stock and roast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the peppers, brinjals, baby marrows, butternut and mushrooms and roast for another 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are done.

VARIATION

You can also roast the vegetables in a pan.

Cut the vegetables that cook fastest (such as peppers, mushrooms, fancy baby squash, snow peas and cherry tomatoes) into uniform pieces.

Mix them in a bowl. Blend 50 ml olive oil and 20 ml white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, 15 torn basil leaves and 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and sprinkle over the vegetables.

Heat a large heavy-based pan over high heat and cook the vegetables in batches until brown and just done.

Keep the cooked vegetables in a warm place until all the vegetables are done.

TIP: Roasted vegetables are deliciously fresh, crisp and packed with flavour as they aren’t cooked in water. Avoid adding too much oil. The vegetables are seasoned with a fragrant spice mixture.

#roast #vegetables