Back again to Daylesford for Ben’s birthday and a sneaky surprise stay in an old butcher’s…

Back in Daylesford and our little country escape, I thought a nice warm vegetable salad would warm the cockles and also spare us more time for the finer things in life (monopoly and Prosecco in this case).

This is not really a recipe, the trick is the choose some veggies (all roots are good), scatter over herbs, spices, chilli or whatever is at hand, season generously, drizzle with olive oil and roast on about 160°C for a good hour or even two….depending on what kind of caramelisation one prefers….

The other great thing about this process is getting creative with any leftovers – here are a few ideas…so I would suggest doing lots, if you do and when you do…..

• Roasted vegetable soup – add some tomatoes and blend
• Add spinach or other leafy greens and box up for lunch the next day
• Add small pasta shapes and stir through for another lunchbox treat (pink pasta!)
• Blend into a puree and serve with cheesy pasta
• Add to a casserole, curry or ragout
• Serve in a crusty baguette with the tahini dressing for a sarnie on the go
• Bring as a side dish to a BBQ
• Mix in a grain, such as bulgur or brown rice and scatter with feta
• Use with mozzarella to top a pizza
• Stir through pasta with a basil pesto
• Serve with toast and a poached egg for breakfast or a lighter lunch

I had begun to scrape the barrel, so any suggestions are very welcome!

The beauty of something like this is also the fact it is never the same as the last time – experimenting with herbs and spices (I tried curry powder with carrots and shallots, which was also very good), so if you get hooked on making vast amounts of roasted vegetables to infuse with various lunch creations – it keeps the idea fresh.

The butchers dated back to 1800, it had a ‘dungeon’ where the carcasses would hang, lots of very old, master oil paintings, very high beds and very low ceilings……

noises of all sorts, curtains around beds – but what really got to me (and meant that I refused to shower) was the huntsman in the bathroom – wimpy, but true.

If you fancy having a look, here is the link to Villa Reanda. Even with the spider, it was a truly beautiful house, with open fire places, beautiful gardens and a very cosy stay…..

http://www.beautifulaccommodation.com/properties/villa-reanda

The sesame tahini dressing is a great accompaniment, as it’s nuttiness cuts through the sweetness and similarly to peanut butter – provides a kind of hearty stability to the salad. Inspiration taken from a ‘Food52’ recipe.

Sesame Tahini Dressing. Makes just over half a cup (125ml)

• 1 large tbsp. tahini
• Same amount of water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp tamari or soy
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• ½ tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, minced

Method

Blend all ingredients together (processor or stick blender) until smooth. Add more water if you like the consistency a bit thinner. It will keep in the fridge for about 5 days.