Roasted autumn vegetables with chilli-maple dressing and tofu and peanut vegan ‘mayo’

Name: Roasted autumn vegetables with chilli-maple dressing and tofu and peanut vegan ‘mayo’
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6 as a side or starter
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 1 celeriac, peeled and sliced 2cm thick, then cut into fat batons; 4 parsnips, halved lengthways; 1 fennel bulb, outer cuff removed, then quartered lengthways; extra virgin olive oil; salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper; 10 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and very finely sliced; 5 sprigs of coriander, leaves picked; 3 tbsp chopped, roasted and salted red-skinned peanuts; ½ fresh horseradish root (optional)

Karen Martini

May 5, 2023

An autumn salad of roasted celeriac, parsnip and fennel with Brussels sprouts, chilli-maple dressing, tofu “mayo” and peanuts.William Meppem

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6 as a side or starter

Celeriac, parsnips, fennel and Brussels sprouts start to come into their own in these cooler months. I also love fresh horseradish, with its sublime peppery heat, at this time of year. Horseradish can be hard to come by (don’t be tempted to use a substitute), so it’s totally optional in this dish, which is already bursting with flavour from the chilli maple dressing and tofu and peanut “mayonnaise”.

This recipe makes twice as much “mayo” than is needed for the salad, but it’s a staple in my house, so I always make extra. I generally use it to dress shaved raw vegetable slaws – cabbage, carrots, beetroot, kohlrabi, radishes etc – adding some chilli and peanuts and maybe some sesame or poppy seeds, too. It will keep for about a week in an airtight jar in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 celeriac, peeled and sliced 2cm thick, then cut into fat batons
4 parsnips, halved lengthways
1 fennel bulb, outer cuff removed, then quartered lengthways
extra virgin olive oil
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
10 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and very finely sliced
5 sprigs of coriander, leaves picked
3 tbsp chopped, roasted and salted red-skinned peanuts
½ fresh horseradish root (optional)

FOR THE TOFU AND PEANUT "MAYO"

200g silken tofu
100ml grapeseed oil
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
3 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp umeboshi paste*
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp white miso paste

FOR THE CHILLI MAPLE DRESSING

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 long red chilli, finely sliced in rings

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Step 2
Add the celeriac, parsnip and fennel to the prepared tray and drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, toss to coat, then spread out in one layer. Roast for about 40 minutes until tender.
Step 3
For the tofu mayo, place the ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth.
Step 4
To make the chilli maple dressing, place the ingredients in a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper and beat with a fork to combine.
Step 5
Toss the sprouts and coriander through the dressing.
Step 6
Arrange the roasted vegetables on a platter and dollop on half the tofu mayonnaise, keeping the rest for another use. Crown with the dressed sprouts and sprinkle over the peanuts. Finish by grating the horseradish, if using, over the top.