Saturday supper club

The ultimate movie-night meal

Melissa Hemsley serves up comfort food packed full of flavour for an evening on the sofa

SERVES 4

For the Syrian-inspired spice mix

— 1 tsp ground turmeric — 1 tbsp smoked paprika — 2 tsp cumin seeds

— 2 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes

For the dip

— 600g carrots, scrubbed and roughly chopped

— 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

— 3 tbsp butter

— 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

— 2 tbsp tahini

— juice of 1 small lemon

To serve (optional)

— handful of chopped fresh coriander or parsley — handful of crumbled feta

— dollop of yogurt — olives

— red chicory leaves, for dipping

— grilled pitta fingers or warmed flatbreads, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Mix together the spicemix ingredients.

Toss the carrots in a large roasting tray with half of the spice mix, the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread out evenly over the base of the tray and roast for 35 minutes, tossing halfway through, until very tender and going golden at the edges.

Five minutes before they come out of the oven, melt the butter in a small frying pan, add the remaining spice mix and garlic, and fry for two minutes, until the spices are fragrant and the garlic is softened. Take off the heat.

Mix the tahini, lemon juice and 3-4 tablespoons of water in a big mixing bowl, then add the hot carrots and mash them well, adding a little more water if needed to get to a thick dip consistency. Season to taste. Alternatively, you could add the tahini and lemon juice to a food processor with the carrots and roughly blitz, adding the water as you go, to get to a thick dip consistency, then season it to taste.

Transfer to a small serving bowl, drag a spoon or fork through the top of the dip, then swirl the spiced garlic butter through it. Top with fresh herbs and any extra toppings. This is delicious served warm or cold, with leaves or pitta breads to dip.