Recipe for Merguez Roasted Roots With Prunes & Chestnuts
This recipe for Merguez Roasted Roots With Prunes & Chestnuts is one of my ‘go to’ Christmas dishes. It’s a tasty accompaniment for any roast meats but I find it goes particularly well with poultry. The chestnuts make it particularly seasonal although nowadays the precooked variety can be bought in supermarkets all year round.
This recipe was published in the December 2021 issue of Country Living Magazine which stated that
The spicy vegetables taste wonderful with the sweetness of the prunes and chestnuts.
Ingredients for the Merguez Spice Mix
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2 twists of cracked black pepper
Method to make the Merguez Mix
- Preheat oven to 210°C (190°C fan) gas mark 6.
- Place the seeds on a baking tray and cook for 5-8 minutes until they gain a little colour.
- Remove and place in a pestle and mortar and roughly grind.
- Add the paprika, cayenne and black pepper, mix together and set aside.
Ingredients for the Roasted Roots
- 1 swede
- 2 parsnips
- 4 carrots
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 100g cooked chestnuts, crumbled
- 100g prunes, roughly chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- A handful of dill, to serve
Method to make the Merguez Roasted Roots With Prunes & Chestnuts
- Peel and chop swede and carrot into equal 2cm chunks
- Peel and chop parsnips into triangles
- Place chopped swede and carrot in a roasting tray with the olive oil. Season and place in the oven.
- After 10 minutes, add the parsnips and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add spice mix, prunes and chestnuts, and mix together.
- Return tray to oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove tray from oven and toss the zest and juice through the spiced vegetables.
- Sprinkle the dill over the top and serve.
My Opinion
I love to reheat any leftovers of this tasty dish and serve as a side with cold meat or with a meat based curry.
Do you have a favourite chestnut and prune recipe? If so, please share it as a comment.
Enjoy!
Useful Links
Below you will find some useful links which are relevant to this article.
