Ahlam Saeid’s rainbow roasted vegetables

To me, the way the table looks is as important as how the food tastes. I make sure there are always flowers on the tables at Al Manaar. I make this dish often, as it adds beautiful colour to any meal.

SERVES FOUR TO SIX INGREDIENTS

250g purple or waxy potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges 200g each of beetroot and golden beetroot, peeled and cut into thin wedges

350g kabocha or butternut squash, deseeded and cut into 2cm wedges 120g baby carrots, scrubbed, or regular carrots, peeled and cut into chunky strips

175g baby parsnips, scrubbed and halved, or regular parsnips, peeled and cut into chunky strips

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

2 tsp dried oregano

2 small red and/or yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into chunky strips or rings

1 courgette, sliced

150g Brussels sprouts, halved 1 watermelon radish, halved, sliced into half-moons, or 120g mooli, scrubbed and cut into 3cm slices 12 asparagus tips

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7. You will need two large baking tins: the vegetables need to be cooked separately because of their different cooking times.

Arrange the potatoes, beetroot, squash, carrots and parsnips in one of the tins, in a single layer. Drizzle with one-and-ahalf tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with half the chilli flakes and oregano and season with salt and pepper.

Place the tray on the top shelf of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Arrange the rest of the vegetables in the second baking tin in a single layer. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining chilli flakes and oregano, and season.

When the first tin of vegetables has cooked for 20 minutes, move it to the middle shelf and place the second tin on the top shelf. Cook both tins for 15-20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender but not mushy.

Tip all of the vegetables into a serving dish, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary and then serve.

Note: if you want the vegetables to be more charred, remove from the oven after 10-15 minutes and place each tin under a hot grill for a few minutes, watching carefully so the vegetables don’t burn.