ROAST SPRING VEGETABLES, PEANUT SAUCE

Crunchy young vegetables. A rich, nutty sauce. • You can use the sauce as a dip but I like to tip it out over the vegetables and toss everything together.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Set the oven at 200°C/Gas 6. Trim the spring carrots and slice them in half lengthways. Do the same with the young beetroots. Trim the asparagus, discarding any tough stalks. Put the vegetables in a mixing bowl and add the olive oil and thyme. Season with salt and black pepper and toss gently to coat everything. Tip into a roasting tin and roast in the preheated oven for twenty-five minutes until tender.

Step 2

Toast the peanuts in a frying pan till they are deep gold and fragrant – a matter of a minute or two, no more. Transfer to a bowl. Finely chop the chilli and put it in a frying pan together with the peanut butter, followed by 60ml of water, the lime juice, maple syrup and soy. The sauce should be a rich chocolate brown and mildly spicy.

Step 3

Remove the roast vegetables from the oven, scatter with the peanuts and serve with the sauce.