Time to start planning for those winter parties or summer B-B-Qs

This is a recipe for when you are entertaining and although this one relies on carrots it will work well with spinach, celeriac and even beetroot. It is gluten free and vegetarian. It isn’t Vegan I am afraid but I would be interested in someone trying the recipe with the vegan alternatives for eggs and mayonnaise (or quark).

It is surprisingly easy and quick to make with the only real chore being grating the carrot.

I am going to work on a sweet version of this as a carrot cake roulade with sweetened quark or even sweetened low fat cream cheese for a little more indulgence. Beetroot might allow for a red velvet version and cocoa for a chocolate roulade. If anyone has a go please share the results.

Carrot Roulade

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs (separated)
• 700g carrots (grated)
• 1 bunch of coriander (half chopped and half leaves removed from stalks)
• 2 tbsp Black Onion seeds
• 2 tbsp Chilli flakes (reduce or remove for your own taste)
• 10 tbsp (200g) Hellman’s Lighter Than Light Mayonnaise (or quark mixed with lemon juice)
• 1 jar roasted red peppers (chopped)
• 1 bunch of watercress (roughly chopped).
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan (optional)
• Fry Light oil or equivalent

Equipment:

• 1 wok or frying pan (ideally non-stick)
• Electric whisk
• Swiss roll tray
• Baking parchment

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven goes Gas Mark 6 or 200 C.
2. Line a Swiss roll tray with baking parchment.
3. Sprinkle parmesan and 1 tbsp of black onions seeds over the parchment.
4. Lay coriander leaves over the parmesan and Black Onion seeds.
5. Spray a large non-stick frying pan or wok with oil and heat.
6. Add the carrots and cook for 10 minutes until soft (keep stirring). The water coming from the carrots will help prevent catching or burning.
7. Put the cooked carrots in a bowl to cool.
8. Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks.
9. Mix chopped coriander, chilli flakes and 1 tbsp of black onion seeds into carrot mix.
10. Beat egg yolks into the carrot mix.
11. Fold in the egg whites to the carrot mix.
12. Pour the carrot mix onto the Swiss roll tin.
13. Place in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Mix the mayonnaise (or lemon quark) with chopped red peppers and watercress leaves.
15. Put the tin on a rack to cool.
16. Once cool spread mayonnaise mix onto the carrot sponge leaving a clear space around the edge (about 1cm).
17. Roll the roulade short edge to short edge using the parchment and then lift and place on a serving Serve with salads such as the Gujarati Carrot salad (grated carrot, lemon juice and black onion seeds.; or if you have used mayonnaise for the filling, why not dollop on some lemon quark (200g quark with juice of half a lemon).