salt
25g (1oz) butter
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Peel the roots, keeping them under cold water to preserve the colour. Cut them into 2.5cm (1in) pieces and put them straight into a bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Bring 2.5cm (1in) of salted water to the boil in a large saucepan, add the roots and cook for about 10 minutes or until just tender.
Drain and add the butter, the remaining lemon juice, the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Heat gently to melt the butter, then serve at once.
Salsify fritters
These delicate fritters make a perfect first course.
SERVES 4
700g (1 lb) salsify or scorzonera
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1–2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (e.g. parsley or dill)
salt and freshly ground pepper
125g (4oz) plain flour
1 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs, separated
150ml (5fl oz) water
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
lemon slices, to serve
Prepare and cook the salsify as described in the first two paragraphs of the previous recipe. Drain well, then sprinkle with the vinegar, herbs and some salt and pepper.
Mix together the flour, oil, seasoning, egg yolks and water to form a batter. Whisk the egg whites, then fold into the batter.
Heat enough oil to half fill a medium-sized saucepan to 190°C (375°F) (or when a little batter sizzles if dropped into the oil). Coat the salsify pieces in batter, then fry for about 4 minutes or until browned. Drain and serve with the lemon slices.
Salsify mayonnaise
Cooked and mixed with mayonnaise, salsify makes a lovely dish that I think of as the vegetarian equivalent to a light fish dish, though I can’t swear to this as I haven’t eaten fish since I was three years old!
SERVES 4
1kg (2 lb) salsify or scorzonera
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
TO GARNISH
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
lemon slices
Peel and cook the salsify until tender. While still hot, add the lemon juice, mayonnaise and yoghurt. Leave to cool.
Serve on individual plates, garnished with the parsley and lemon slices.
Easy spring rolls v
These may seem fiddly, but actually they’re easy to make and delicious served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.
MAKES 24 SPRING ROLLS
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
335g packet beansprouts
1 small pointed red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
a thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
head of Chinese leaves, shredded
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
salt
270g packet filo pastry (6 sheets, approximately 500mm × 240mm (20in × 9 in))
rapeseed or groundnut oil, for brushing
sweet chilli sauce, to serve
Fry the onion in the oil in a large saucepan for 5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the bean sprouts, red pepper, garlic, ginger and Chinese leaves, stir-fry for a further 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the soy sauce and some salt to taste, then leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6.
Cut each sheet of filo pastry in half right down the middle, and across, making 24 rectangles.
Take one rectangle of filo pastry. Put about a tablespoon of the vegetable mixture across the filo, about 1cm (½in) from the top. Fold over the top, and fold over the sides, then roll the pastry to make a spring roll shape.
Brush the spring roll with oil, or put some oil on a plate and dip the spring roll in this, to coat lightly. Place the spring roll on a baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the mixture until all the filo and (probably) all of the vegetable mixture is used.
Bake the spring rolls for about 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Serve with a chilli dipping sauce.
Sweet potato bhajis v
These crisp tasty morsels make a tempting starter or nibble. They’re great with mango chutney, tomato salsa or cucumber and coriander raita; or add some hot cooked rice to make a light main course.
MAKES 8 / SERVES 4 AS A STARTER, 2 AS A MAIN COURSE
350g (12oz) sweet potato
1 onion, very finely chopped
125g (4oz) chickpea flour
1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Peel and grate the sweet potatoes, then put into a bowl and add the onion, chickpea flour, chilli flakes, baking powder, salt and coriander. Mix well; as you mix, the moisture from the vegetables will be drawn out and will bind everything together. Add a tablespoonful or so of water only if the chickpea flour remains dry.
Heat
