Christmas is approaching fast and with the darkness and cold weather I can’t think of anything better than listening to music and working on Christmassy recipes. The smell of caramelising maple syrup mixed with fresh orange, thyme and rosemary is just divine and creates a warm and festive atmosphere. Makes a perfect side to any vegan roast, but equally works a treat with mash and plant based sausages on any cold day, because why wait until Christmas?
What you need:
500g mixed coloured carrots (ideally with stalks or greens*) – washed, bigger ones halved, greens chopped off, but leave a bit of the stalks
2 medium parsnips – washed and quartered (lengthwise)
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 organic orange – rinsed and halved
Sprinkle of sea salt
For the maple and herb ‘marinade’:
2tbsp mixed fresh rosemary and thyme – pull the leaves off the stalks and roughly chop the rosemary leaves
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp nutmeg
Sea salt to taste
A generous handful of walnut halves
* If your carrots come with nice, fresh leaves don’t discard them as they taste delicious in a salad (finely chopped and used like a fresh herb) or wilted with spinach in a little olive oil and fresh garlic.
How you do it:
Preheat your oven at fan 150C.
Arrange your veg on a baking tray keeping the purple carrots on one side as they ‘stain’ the other veg with their deep red colour.
Evenly coat everything with olive oil, sprinkle a little sea salt on top and roast for 30mins.
Meanwhile make your ‘marinade’.
In a little bowl mix olive oil, maple syrup, rosemary/thyme, nutmeg and a little sea salt and put aside.
Turn the veg gently in order for it to roast and brown evenly and add the orange halves cut side down.
Return to the oven for another 20mins.
Using a spoon or a brush coat all your veg evenly with the herby maple marinade, squeeze a little bit of the orange juice over everything (don’t burn yourself on these sizzling hot oranges though) and scatter the walnut halves on top.
Return to the oven for a further 15-20mins until the walnut halves are lightly browned and the maple syrup has caramelised.
Squeeze some more orange juice over everything and serve straight out of the oven.
