Roast sprouts and celeriac with hazelnuts and green herb sauce

Roast sprouts and celeriac with hazelnuts and green herb sauce

Winter

Brussels sprouts are little flower buds. Each plant has lots of them growing up its tall, fibrous stem. A larger, leafier flower, called the sprout top (also delicious to eat), crowns the plant. I think roasting sprouts is one of the best ways to cook them. If you haven’t tried it before, do try it this winter. They develop a complex, bittersweet flavour wrapped up in glassy, crisp outer leaves with a soft, almost chewy centre.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 500g (1lb 2oz) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and tired outer leaves composted
  • ½ celeriac, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2–3 tbsp blanched hazelnuts, lightly bashed

For the green herb sauce

  • 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • 1 small handful of chives, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp capers, chopped
  • 2 tsp mustard
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to loosen, if necessary
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7.

Halve the larger sprouts, then scatter all the sprouts and the celeriac over a large baking tray and trickle over the olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper and tumble everything together.

Place the tray in the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, turning everything with a spatula once or twice during cooking. Take out the tray, scatter over the sliced garlic and the hazelnuts, turn together and return to the oven for a further 5–10 minutes, until the sprouts begin to caramelise and the celeriac is golden and crisping around the edges.

To make the sauce, in a bowl combine the parsley, chives, capers, mustard, garlic and vinegar then stir in the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. It should have a loose-ish consistency, a bit like a dressing, so add a splash more oil if it’s a bit thick.

Arrange the sprouts and celeriac over a large, warmed platter, then spoon over the green herb sauce. Give everything a final sprinkling of salt and a twist of pepper and serve at once.

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