Roast carrot and avocado salad

INGREDIENTS

500 g medium differently coloured carrots

2 level teaspoons grounded cumin

1 small dried chilli

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 bouquet of fresh thyme, leaves picked

extra virgin olive oil

red or white wine vinegar

1 orange, halved

1 lemon, halved

3 ripe avocados

4 x 1 cm thick slices of ciabatta or other good-quality bread

2 handfuls of mixed salad leaves

1 tablespoon of sour cream/person

4 tablespoons mixed seeds (sesame, poppy and sunflower seeds), toasted

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. 

2. Cook your carrots in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes, until they are very nearly cooked, then drain and put them into a roasting tray. You should flavour them while they’re steaming hot, so while the carrots are cooking get a pestle and mortar and smash up the cumin seeds, chillies, salt and pepper. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and smash up again until you have a kind of paste. Add enough extra virgin olive oil to generously cover the paste and some of the vinegar. Stir together, then pour over the carrots in the tray, coating them well. Add the orange and lemon halves, cut-side down. Place in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden.

3. While the carrots are roasting, halve and peel your avocados, discarding the stones, then cut them into wedges lengthways and place in a big bowl. Remove the carrots from the oven and add them to the avocados. Carefully, squeeze the roasted orange and lemon juice into the roasting pan let the sticky parts soak up. Pour it into a jar and add the same amount of extra virgin olive oil. Season, and pour this dressing over the carrots and avocados. Mix together, and correct the seasoning.

4. Toast the ciabatta slices tear them into pieces and add to the salad.

Mix together, toss in the salad leaves and transfer to a big platter or divide between individual plates. Spoon over a nice dollop of sour cream, sprinkle over your toasted seeds and drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil.