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- 4 small beetroots, scrubbed and halved or quatered
- 1 medium-sized celeriac, peeled and cut in chunks
- 2 bulbs of fennel
- 2 medium red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 bulb of garlic, cloves separated with skin on
- 1 handful sage leaves
- 5 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 500 ml plain yoghurt or milk
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Side
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 60 mins
- Cooking Time: 530 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (355°F/Gas Mark 4).
- Trim the base and top from the fennel, reserving any green frondy leaves.
- 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.
- Add the beetroot, celeriac, fennel and onion to a roasting tray, along with the garlic cloves, sage leaves, rosemary and fennel seeds.
- Season with plenty of salt and pepper, trickle everything generously with olive oil and toss together well.
- Roast the veg for about 30 mins then gently stir it with a spatula.
- 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.
- Remove the tray from the oven and stir again. Allow to cool for 10–15 mins.
- To serve, spread the labneh out over a large platter.
- Arrange the warm roasted vegetables over the top, then give everything a final trickle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
- If you have reserved any fennel tops, tear them over the salad just before you serve.
For the labneh:
- 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.
- Place the yoghurt or milk in a bowl, add the salt and stir it in thoroughly.
- 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.
- 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.
- Transfer it to the fridge and leave it for 6–8 hours or overnight.
- 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.
- 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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