Root Ribbon Salad with Pomegranate

Dressing:
1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds
1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon rose harissa
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
1/2 small white cabbage, finely shredded
1 bunch of scallions, finely sliced diagonally from root to tip
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries (optional)
1 cup toasted cashew nuts (optional)
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/2 small celery root, peeled and cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 cup mint, leaves picked, rolled up tightly, and sliced into ribbons
1 cup pomegranate seeds

Make the dressing:
Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a dry skillet until lightly browned.  Crush them coarsely using a mortar and pestle.  Mix crushed spices together with remaining dressing ingredients in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the salad:
Put the cabbage, scallions, and cranberries and cashew nuts if using, into a large mixing bowl.  Add dressing and mix well with your hands.  Add the parsnip, carrot, and celery root ribbons, and mix again.  Now add the herbs and pomegranate seeds and toss through.  Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary, then toss one last time and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

From Bazaar by Sabrina Ghayour, with very minor change

Wild Rice and Parsnip Fritters

150 g (5 ounces) cooked wehani rice  (about 100 g (3 ½ ounces) raw rice)

1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

1 teaspoon fennel seeds                                                           

120 g (4 ounces) parsnip, grated (about 1 fat one) 

3 eggs                                                                             

50 mls milk  (almost 1/4 cup)                                                                 

50 mls yogurt     (almost 1/4 cup)

100 g (3 ½ ounces) flour

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon dried dill                                                                               

1 teasoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Chopped parsley, fresh dill, or fennel

2 teaspoons baking powder

Cook rice in rice cooker.  (Alternately, add water in a 2:1 ratio to rice (a bit less than a cup of water, or 200 mls, to 100 g rice) in a heavy saucepan.   Bring them to a boil together then simmer, covered, for 50-60 minutes at a very low heat.  Ideally, all the water will be gone and the rice will be perfectly cooked.)

Cook the onion, garlic, and fennel seeds in a little oil for a few minutes, then add the grated parsnip and continue cooking for a few minutes more, but don’t allow the parsnip to cook more than a little. 

Whisk the eggs, milk, and yogurt together, then whisk these into the flour with the nutmeg, dill, and mustard, to get a thick batter.  Stir in the cooked vegetables and the cooked wild rice.  Season well with salt and pepper, and add chopped parsley, dill, or fennel as desired. 

Add the baking powder just before beginning to fry the fritters.

In a wide frying pan, heat oil to a low, steady temperature, then drop in tablespoons of the batter – as many as the pan will take, as they won’t spread.  Cook for a few minutes, then flip each one over to cook the other side. You may need to flip them a few times, until they are lightly browned and firm to the touch.  They should take about 8 minutes to cook through.  Keep the cooked fritters warm in the oven will frying the remainder.  

Serves 4.

From The Cafe Paradiso Cookbook by Denis Cotter

Root Soup

9 ounces carrots, peeled and chopped
9 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
9 ounces parsnips, peeled and chopped
9 ounces celery root, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan until darkened and aromatic
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed dried chili
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ounce butter
5 ounces red onions, peeled and chopped
1 large leek, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Balsamic reduction:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dark molasses

Heat the oven to 375°F.  Set half the carrots aside and put the rest of the carrots, the sweet potatoes, parsnips, and celery root in a baking pan.  Add the spices, salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the oil and shake the pan until the vegetables are coated with oil.  Place in the middle of the oven for up to 45 minutes, checking and turning from time to time until the vegetables are soft and browned.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and the butter in a large pan with a lid.  Add the onions and cook on a gentle heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining carrots and the leek to the onions.  Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the vegetables do not burn or stick to the pan. If the mixture becomes too watery, uncover the pan until all the liquid has evaporated.  

Add 6 or 7 cups of water, the roast vegetables, and plenty of salt to the pan.  Simmer for a further 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little, then whiz in a blender until smooth.  

While soup is cooking, make the balsamic reduction:
Combine the vinegar and molasses in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until the amount is reduced by about half and the mixture is maple-syrup consistency, about 8 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate; the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. Drizzle each serving of soup with a swirl of the balsamic reduction.

Serves 4.


From Sophie Conran's Soups and Stews, with minor changes