Honey & Cumin Roasted Swede On Toast
Main Course, Dips, Snacks & Sides
Feeds 1
Cook Time: 45 Mins
Difficulty: Medium
Swede is a criminally underrated vegetable and way more versatile than people think.
It’s not just for mashing! Roasting swede gives the most amazing balance of flavours! It draws out a little more sweetness that works wonderfully with its naturally slight bitterness.
I actually roasted the swede in the air fryer but that’s your decision!
There are a few components in the recipe but they are definitely worth it! You build up the layers of flavours and it makes it such an exciting sandwich to eat! They also all keep really well and can be used in all sorts of dishes so you can keep them in your fridge and start building lots of exciting dishes around them!
This has got sort of Pani Puri vibes - a really vibrant Indian Street Food, usually set in a fried ball! Just bags and bags of flavours! So exciting!
You’ve got the swede on top of the cream cheese, the bitter watercress, then the sweet and sour vibes of the date and tamarind sauce, the zinginess of the mint chutney, followed by the freshness of pomegranate seeds, the crunch of some toasted nuts and all of that sits on top of the richness of some toasted wholemeal sourdough! Total magic!
I found frying the sourdough in butter took the sandwich to the next level - the texture was brilliant. I used wholemeal sourdough as I like the nuttiness, but you can use whatever bread you like!
I used a dukkah to top this - just some roasted and spiced nuts. Use what you have around you, just some toasted nuts would do or if you haven’t got nuts, try some crushed up crisps! Think texture!
INGREDIENTS:
For The Roast Swede:
1/4 Swede
1 Dsp Honey
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Tsp Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt
For The Date & Tamarind Sauce
5-6 Pitted Dates, chopped
2 Tsp Tamarind Paste
1/4 Tsp Ground Cumin
Water to cover the dates
1 Lemon
For The Mint Chutney
1/2 Bunch Mint Leaves
1/2 Bunch Coriander
1 Lemon
Fresh Ginger, thumb sized
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tsp Sugar
100g Olive Oil
1 Hot Green Chilli
For The Sandwich
1 Slice Wholemeal Sourdough
50g Butter
2 Tbsp Cream Cheese
Handful Watercress
Sprinkle Spiced Nuts or Crisps
Sprinkle Pomegranate Seeds
METHOD:
Peel and chop the swede into 10-15mm pieces
In a bowl, toss the swede with honey, cumin seeds, olive oil and a pinch of salt
Roast in the oven for air fry at 200C for 15 minutes until soft and slightly golden
Meanwhile, make the date and tamarind sauce
Add the dates, tamarind paste, lemon juice and cumin into a pan. Cover with water and bring to a simmer
Cook until the dates have softened, stirring regularly. The water can get soaked up by the dates and thickens quite quick, add water as you need to to stop it boiling dry or the dates catching on the pan
Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Adjust the texture with water - you want it a thick pouring consistency before tasting and adjusting the temperature. Set aside, or store in a jar until you need it
For the mint chutney, add the herbs, ginger and garlic into a food processor along with the lemon, sugar and green chilli. Blitz to a paste before adding the olive oil. Season with salt and taste. Adjust the heat with chilli and consistency with olive oil
When the swede is cooked and you are ready to serve, heat the butter in a pan on medium until melted and starting to froth
Fry the sourdough in the butter until golden and toasted, turn and repeat on the other side
Remove from the pan, dry any excess butter on kitchen roll, then top the bread generously with cream cheese. Delicately place the watercress leaves on top of the cream cheese
Top this with the roasted swede - if you fancy you can lightly crush the swede with a fork if you prefer smaller pieces
Drizzle over a spoon of the date and tamarind sauce and then the mint chutney
Top with the toasted nuts/crisps and the pomegranate seeds!
