Recipe

Root Vegetable Cakes

Makes 8

These mouthwatering vegetable cakes can be prepared ahead and kept in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. Miniature versions of the cakes would make good party food accompanied with a bowl of the sauce for dipping.

Method:

1. To make the vegetable cakes, scrub the sweet potatoes and parsnips, peel and cut into 2.5cm chunks. Cook in a pan of hot water until tender when pierced with a skewer. Drain and coarsely crush with a fork. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan and fry the onion over a low heat for 5 minutes until softened. Transfer to a mixing bowl, stir in the carrots, rosemary and crushed vegetables and stir until evenly mixed. 3. Leave to cool and then shape the mixture into eight round flat cakes. Dust with cornflour, brush with beaten egg and coat in the polenta. Chill the cakes for 1 hour or longer to firm them up. 4. Heat oil for shallow frying in a large frying pan and cook the vegetable cakes for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown, turning them over once. Drain from the pan onto a plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper. 5. To make the sauce, whisk all the ingredients together until combined. Spoon the sauce into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chopped spring onion. Serve the vegetables cakes hot, accompanied with the sauce.

Tip

Cornflour and polenta are both gluten free so are ideal for coating the cakes. Gluten free flour and gluten free bread made into crumbs could also be used. Crushing rather than mashing the vegetables gives the cakes a more interesting texture when you bite into them. Instead of frying the cakes, you can brush them with oil and bake them on a greased baking sheet in a 190°C (fan 170°C)/375°F/gas mark 5 oven for 15 minutes. Turn them over and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Ingredients: For the root vegetable cakes:

225g sweet potatoes 225g parsnips 2tbsp groundnut oil, plus extra, for shallow frying 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped 225g carrots, grated 1tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves For coating: (see Tip) 2tbsp cornflour 1 egg 2tbsp polenta

For the soy and chilli sauce:

2tbsp Kikkoman Tamari Gluten-free soy sauce 1tbsp chilli sauce, or to taste 2tbsp tomato ketchup 1tbsp lime juice 1 spring onion, finely chopped

Preparation time: 20 mins (plus chilling time) Cooking time: about 30 minutes