Cumin-coriander roast carrots with pomegranate and avocado

SERVES 6 AS A STARTER OR 8 AS A SIDE DISH

For the salad

30 young carrots

4tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2tsp cumin seeds

1tsp coriander seeds, crushed 1tsp chilli flakes

3 ripe avocados

25g walnut pieces

100g watercress, coarse stalks removed small bunch coriander, leaves only

250g Greek yoghurt

1 garlic clove, crushed seeds of ½ pomegranate For the dressing

3tsp pomegranate molasses 1 garlic clove, crushed

¼tsp Dijon mustard

6tbsp extra virgin olive oil ¼tsp honey squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas 6. Trim the carrots at the tops but leave a bit of green tuft on. If you can’t find young carrots, halve or quarter large ones. Don’t peel them, just wash well.

Place them in single layer in a roasting tin. Add the olive oil, spices and season with salt and pepper, ensuring the carrots are coated. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes; they will become tender and shrink slightly. Be careful not to overcook them. Remove from the oven. Set aside.

To toast the walnuts, place them in the same pan as the carrots for about 1 minute, or until they smell aromatic.

For the dressing, whisk everything together with a fork.

Halve and pit the avocados, cut into slices, then peel each slice.

Place everything except the yoghurt, garlic and pomegranate seeds into a bowl and gently toss in three-quarters of the dressing.

Mix the yoghurt and garlic then dot spoonfuls over the vegetables and scatter with the pomegranate seeds. Spoon over the rest of the dressing and serve.