Marmite, onion and roast root vegetable stew with cheesy scones
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GIZZI ERSKINE
Roast carrots with queso fresco, coriander & jalapeño oil and pumpkin seeds
SERVES 8 FOR SHARING. HANDS-ON TIME 35 MIN, OVEN/SIMMERING TIME 30-35 MIN, PLUS CHILLING
Roast carrots with queso fresco, coriander & jalapeño oil and pumpkin seeds
GIZZI PORTRAIT: LATEEF OKUNNU
SIDE DISH WITH ATTITUDE
MAKE AHEAD
Queso fresco will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container or submerged in olive oil. It develops more of a tangy flavour as it matures.
FOOD TEAM’S TIPS
If you want, keep the whey from step 2 to make stock or for cooking grains – but check it’s not too salty first.
You can save time by buying ready-made crispy shallots from larger supermarkets or Asian supermarkets instead of making your own in step 4.
Use leftover jalapeño and coriander oil to drizzle over soups and boost hearty stews. Pomace oil is made from the leftover olive pulp after extra-virgin and olive oil have been extracted. It’s available from health food shops and larger supermarkets.
• Bunch heritage carrots (about 500g: look for orange, yellow, purple and white), peeled
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 rounded tsp coriander seeds, bashed
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• ½ tsp smoked salt (we used Maldon, from larger supermarkets)
• 1 jalapeño chilli, thinly sliced
• ½ quantity jalapeño & coriander oil (see below and tips)
• Pinch chipotle powder or chipotle flakes
FOR THE QUESO FRESCO
• 1 litre whole (or raw) milk
• 1 tbsp salt, plus ¼ tsp
• Juice 1½ lemons
• 2 tbsp soured cream
FOR THE CRISPY SHALLOTS
• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 4 banana shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
FOR THE JALAPEÑO & CORIANDER OIL
• ¼ large bunch coriander, including stems
• Bowl iced water
• 1 jalapeño chilli, roughly chopped (seeds in)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 150ml pomace or olive oil (see tips)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED…
• Cheesecloth or muslin; mini food processor
1 To make the queso fresco, Put the milk in a heavy-based saucepan with the 1 tbsp salt. Bring to the boil, then immediately turn down the heat to its lowest. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon, which will begin to separate the milk into curds and whey. Keep stirring for 5-10 minutes until the milk has fully separated to give thick, creamy lumps of curd.
2 Line a sieve or colander with a double layer of cheesecloth or muslin, put it over a bowl and pour the mixture through it to strain out the whey (see tips). Gather up the sides of the cloth and gently squeeze out a little more liquid. You should be left with a single, solid mass of curd. You can use it immediately or firm it up more by wrapping it in the cloth and putting it in a sieve with a bowl underneath. Weight it down with a couple of tins (or something similar) for about 2 hours out of the fridge or 24 hours in the fridge (see Make Ahead).
3 Heat the oven as hot as it can go (about 250°C/230°C fan/ gas 10). Toss the carrots in a large roasting tray with the oil, sugar, coriander seeds, salt and pepper. Put any purple ones on a separate roasting tray (so their colour doesn’t leach). Roast for 15 minutes until soft and caramelised, turning halfway. Set aside.
4 To make the crispy shallots, heat the oil in a frying pan over a low heat and fry the shallots for 10-15 minutes or until they crisp up and turn a light golden colour. Scoop out the shallots with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper (see tips).
5 To make the jalapeño and coriander oil, blanch the coriander in a kettleful of boiling water for a few seconds, then drain and refresh in ice-cold water. Drain again, then whizz in a mini food processor with the chilli salt and oil for at least a minute until finely chopped. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing as much of the juice through as possible. Season.
6 Whizz 200g queso fresco in the cleaned-out mini food processor with the remaining lemon juice, soured cream and salt until it takes on a smooth, whipped consistency.
7 Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat for a few minutes until they start to pop, stirring regularly to prevent them burning. Set aside.
8 Spread the queso fresco over a large serving platter (or, for individual portions, use about 3 tbsp per person). Sprinkle the smoked salt over the cheese, then halve the carrots lengthways and arrange them on top. Sprinkle with the sliced jalapeño and crispy shallots. Drizzle with half the flavoured oil (see tips) and sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and a little chipotle to bring out a smoky note.
PER SERVING 294kcals, 22.4g fat (5.4g saturated), 7.2g protein, 13.7g carbs (12.5g sugars), 0.6g salt, 4.1g fibre