There is an earthy sweetness at the heart of root vegetables that is most successfully brought to the fore by a good roasting in a hot oven. The cut edges of woody carrots, fat parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes caramelise on the roasting tin, their insides fluff up and they develop a certain soothing quality. I need such food at the moment, feeling the dampness of winter working its way into my bones.
Earlier this week, I roasted a pan of carrots, parsnips, artichokes and beetroot, letting their edges brown in the heat, then served them on a soft mound of citrus-spiked cream of cannellini beans. A double whammy of starch, yes, but exactly what is called for right now. I spiced the toasted roots with cumin, coriander and cardamom to balance their sugary notes. There were no loud seasonings here, just a plate of quiet flavours to soften the blow of yet another cold, wet day.
Food may not always be the best medicine, but it does the trick for me. My temperament jangled by the sound of a nearby chainsaw all morning, I found myself reaching for pudding rice, there being nothing so soothing as a bowl of warm, sweet and milky rice. Impatiently, I cooked it on the hob rather than letting the rice swell for hours in the oven. No crisp skin to gild the surface, but within half an hour I had what I needed – a balm of fluffy, creamy rice in which to dip my spoon and smooth my ruffled feathers.
Roast winter roots and lemon cannellini cream
I cook beetroots with the other roots, but without peeling or slicing them in order to preserve their juices and to stop them sending carmine splashes over the parsnips. They are sliced once they are roasted. Choosing small beets, barely the size of a golf ball, means they will be ready at the same time as the rest. If you have large beetroots, put them in first, adding the other vegetables once they have started to come to tenderness. The beans and cream take just seconds to process to a soft cream. Take care not to overblend them. If the cream appears too stiff – it is best as a soft, thick purée – then pour in a little olive oil. Serves 4
For the vegetables:
carrots, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes 1 kg, total weight
beetroots 4, small
olive oil 3 tbsp
ground cardamom 1 tsp
ground coriander 1 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
garlic 3 cloves
For the creamed cannellini:
double cream 250ml
cannellini beans 1 x 700g jar, or 2 x 400g tins
dill and parsley leaves 20g, total weight
lemon the juice of half
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Scrub the carrots, peel the parsnips and slice them from stalk to tip. Scrub and halve the artichokes. Put the carrots, parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes in a roasting tin. Trim the beetroots, leaving a small tuft on top (so they do not “bleed”), add them to the tin and pour over the olive oil.
Add the ground spices and cumin seeds to the vegetables. Season with a little salt, then toss together so they are lightly coated. Peel the garlic cloves and add to the vegetables. Roast for about 50 minutes, turning once during cooking.
Make the beans: put the cream into a medium-sized saucepan, add the beans and their bottling or canning liquid, then warm over a moderate heat for 5 minutes. Tip them into a food processor and add the herb leaves, a little salt and black pepper and the lemon juice. Process to a smooth cream.
Transfer back to the saucepan. Warm the cannellini cream over a moderate heat and check the seasoning. Spoon on to a serving plate and pile the roasted vegetables on top.
Spiced rice pudding, apple and maple syrup
A quick version of the traditional rice pudding, this time sweetened with maple syrup and light brown sugar with a gentle, warming note of cardamom. I use pudding rice for this, although other round grain rice will work, too. Serves 4
pudding rice 150g
water 500ml
green cardamom pods 6
cloves 3
full-cream milk 250ml
single cream 250ml
soft brown sugar 2 tbsp
apples 2
butter 40g
maple syrup 4 tbsp
Put the pudding rice into a medium-sized, heavy-based saucepan. Pour in 500ml of water and bring to the boil. Watch carefully until the water has almost evaporated, a matter of 5-7 minutes.
Crack the cardamom pods with a heavy weight, such as a pestle, then remove the tiny black-brown seeds within. Crush them to a coarse powder with a pestle and mortar or the blunt end of a rolling pin. Stir the cardamom into the rice together with the 3 whole cloves.
Once the water has just about disappeared add the milk and cream, let it come to the boil, then lower the heat. Leave the rice to simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring regularly (otherwise it will stick), by which time the rice should be soft and creamy. Taste and sweeten with the soft brown sugar.
Meanwhile, slice the apples into thick segments. No need to peel. Melt the butter in a shallow, nonstick pan and fry the apples until they are quite soft but retain their shape. Pour in the maple syrup.
Divide the rice pudding between 4 bowls, removing the cloves as you go, then spoon the apples and maple syrup over the rice.
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