I serve this variation of a classic chickpea hummus here with roasted carrots and beetroot, but I make it year round and vary the vegetables according to the season.

Ingredients

Raw green vegetables such as courgettes or cucumbers are good, as are radishes, spring onions, broccoli, kale leaves and watercress. On another day in another meal the entire dish would make the perfect accompaniment for a roast leg of lamb with bubbling hot gravy and a mint sauce. Serves 8

  • 175g dried chickpeas
  • 100g unskinned almonds
  • 150g tahini
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed to a paste
  • juice of 1 lemon 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 200ml chickpea cooking water
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetables 

  • 8 carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthways
  • 4 small beetroots, quartered 
  • 2 branches of fresh thyme 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To finish

  • 25g unskinned hazelnuts 
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted 
  • zest of 1 lemon

Method

  1. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and soak overnight. 
  2. The next day, preheat the oven to 200°C. 
  3. Strain and discard the chickpea soaking water. Place the chickpeas in a saucepan, cover with fresh cold water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook gently until the peas are cooked. The cooking time can vary from 30 to 60 minutes and will depend on the size and age of the chickpeas, but they need to be completely tender if you want to achieve a smooth, creamy hummus.
  4. Keep an eye on the water level in the saucepan and if necessary top it up to keep the chickpeas submerged. When the chickpeas are cooked, strain and reserve 200ml of the cooking water. Allow the chickpeas to cool. 
  5. Meanwhile, roast the almonds in the oven on a dry baking tray until crisp and well coloured. This should take about 10 minutes. 
  6. Toss the carrots and beetroot with the thyme,  olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a roasting tray and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until well coloured and tender. Keep warm. 
  7. When the vegetables come out of the oven, reduce the temperature to 180°C. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the skins are starting to lift and flake and the nuts are golden brown.
  8. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the nuts to cool. Place the cold nuts in a clean kitchen towel, gather up the edges of the towel and rub the base of the towel on the palm of your hand to loosen the skins as much as possible. You will not get every last piece of skin off, but that’s fine. Coarsely chop the roasted nuts and reserve for later. 
  9. Place the cooled chickpeas and the roasted almonds in a food processer and purée for a moment or two. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and three-quarters of the chickpea cooking water and purée again until the hummus is smooth. If it is a little dry, add the remaining cooking water in increments. Taste and correct the seasoning. 
  10. Mix the olive oil and smoked paprika together in a small bowl. 
  11. To serve, spread the hummus on plates and place the roasted vegetables on top. Drizzle with the smoked paprika oil. Sprinkle each plate with some roasted hazelnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds and lemon zest and a final pinch of sea salt.