Firecracker Vegetable Roast Recipes

Steps:

• Place carrots in a spring-top glass jar. Bring the water, sugar, cider vinegar, onion powder, mustard seeds, salt, and chili flakes to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Boil for 4 minutes.
• Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the carrots, filling the jar to the top. Place the chilies in the jar. Allow the carrots to cool before sealing. Refrigerate for 2 days up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Brush the exposed flesh with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Lay the eggplant halves cut side down on a cookie sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes, until the fleshside of the eggplant is nicely browned and the eggplant has softened and fully cooked. Remove from the oven, and cool.
• When cool, use a large spoon to scoop the pulp away from the skin. Discard the skin. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and red pepper until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Do not allow the garlic to brown.
• Add the eggplant pulp to this mixture and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes until all the flavors have mingled and the eggplant has begun to brown in the saute pan. Add the cayenne, cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro leaves and bread crumbs and mix well. Set aside to cool.
• Using 3 phyllo pastry leaves at a time, brush each leaf very lightly with melted butter and layer the sheets together. Cut the stack in half. Place 3 tablespoons of the eggplant mixture in a long thin strip in the center of each stack, so the phyllo can be rolled around it to form a cigar or firecracker shape. Roll the phyllo tightly, crimping the ends shut to seal in the filling. Repeat until all of the eggplant has been used. This will yield approximately 10 to 12 eggplant firecrackers. At this point, they can be held for up to 2 days, covered and refrigerated.
• To cook the firecrackers, saute in olive oil or lay them on a nonstick baking pan, and bake in a 375 degree oven until lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450.
• Place first 9 ingredients in a food processor, process til smooth.
• Combine basil mixture, cauliflower and next 5 ingredients, tossing well to coat. Arrange vegetables on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 450 for 15 min or til lightly browned. Add tomato and chickpeas; bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve with rice, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, deep roasting tin (one that can go on the hob) or in your largest flameproof casserole dish. Season the beef well and sear in the tin until nicely browned all over. Lift out and put on a plate or board. Add another 1 tbsp oil and the onions to the tin and sweat for 8-10 mins until really soft. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the paprika, mustard powder, cinnamon, cayenne or chilli, treacle, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and the remaining oil. Brush all over the meat, reserving about 2 tbsp for later. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
• Add the garlic, bay leaves and chillies to the softened onions, stir around the pan for 1-2 mins, then pour in the passata, Worcestershire sauce, remaining vinegar and sugar. Season the sauce, give a good stir, then put the brisket on top. Wrap the tin tightly in a few sheets of foil, or cover with a lid, and bake for 6 hrs, turning once or twice during cooking, until really tender.
• Uncover the dish, give the sauce around the meat a little stir and brush the remaining spice paste over the meat. Can be made a day ahead up to this point - cool then chill the meat and sauce; remove from the fridge and scoop off any fat from the sauce before reheating. Increase the temperature to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook for a further 20 mins (or 40 mins from cold, covered for 20 mins) until the meat is dark and sticky. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 mins.
• To serve, skim any fat off the surface of the sauce, shred the meat with 2 forks, discarding any butcher's string as you go, and toss the meat through the sauce, discarding the bay leaves and chillies. Pile into warm flatbreads and serve with Charred sweetcorn salsa (see 'Goes well with') and a dollop of soured cream.

Steps:

• Place the vegetable oil, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, ranch dressing mix, and crushed red pepper flakes in a 2-gallon plastic zipper bag. Seal the bag and smoosh with your hands to thoroughly combine the oil and spices. Place the crackers into the bag, seal, and turn the bag over to cover the crackers with the spice mix. Let the bag sit for about 1 hour, then turn again. Repeat several more times until the crackers are well-coated with spice mix, and allow the bag to sit overnight. Remove crackers and serve.