HONEY-ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES

A hearty mix of root vegetables goes well with most roast meats, poultry, and game. Here, the honey and orange mix that is added toward the end complements the flavors of the vegetables.

Serves 4

1 lb 5 oz (600 g) butternut squash

12 oz (350 g) celeriac

3 medium parsnips

¹⁄₄ cup olive oil

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp honey

finely grated zest of ¹⁄₂ small orange

1 tbsp orange juice

sea salt flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Peel the vegetables. Cut the squash and celeriac into chunks, about 1in (2.5cm). Cut the parsnips into quarters lengthwise. (See Equal-sized vegetables.)

2. Put all the prepared vegetables in a large roasting pan, pour in the oil, and toss them together to coat well, spreading oil on the bottom of the pan too, so the vegetables won’t stick. (See Don’t overcrowd the pan.) Tuck in the thyme sprigs and season with pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes or until golden.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the honey and orange zest and juice. Remove the vegetables from the oven, pour the honey and orange mix over the top, and return to the oven for another 5–8 minutes or until the vegetables are more golden and crispy around the edges. (See Flavor at the last minute.)

4. Spoon over any juices left in the roasting pan and sprinkle with sea salt flakes before serving.

HONEY-ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES

KEYS TO PERFECTION

Equal-sized vegetables

Trim then peel the celeriac, squash, and parsnips. When peeling the celeriac, you’ll need to cut off any knobbly parts first. It’s important to cut all the vegetables to a similar thickness so they roast evenly.

Don’t overcrowd the pan

Choose a roasting pan that’s large enough to accommodate the vegetables in a single layer so they’re not overcrowded and can turn a lovely golden color all over. A good coating of oil also helps the vegetables brown.

Flavor at the last minute

Pour in the honey and orange mix only once the vegetables have browned and are almost done. If the mixture is left on for too long, it can burn and dry out, and there won’t be any lovely sticky juices to spoon over.