HERBS FOR MEATS RECIPES

Steps:

• A grazing board combines the best of a cheeseboard and charcuterie platter into one indulgent selection of food. There’s no strict recipe for a grazing board – simply gather together all your favourite nibbles, and arrange on a large platter or plate to share. You could do a mixture of meats and cheese, or go entirely vegetarian or vegan. The key things to remember when creating your platter, to make it look (and taste) as impressive as possible, are: ● Make sure you assemble the board just before serving so everything is fresh ● Always include crackers, breadsticks or bread to use as a vessel for cheeses or dips ● Use small bowls or ramekins to hold small items and dips, like olives, nuts and chutneys ● Use a good variety of ingredients. For example, aim for one hard and one soft cheese, two or three different cured meats, and a few varieties of fruits and nuts ● If you use larger fruits, like figs or clementines, chop and tear them into different shapes, so that the fruit is easier to pick up and looks more appealing on the platter ● Swirl any dips into ramekins, and top with olive oil, seeds or chopped herbs ● Fill in any gaps on your platter with bay leaves or rosemary sprigs to decorate ● Bundle any cured meats into nests, or roll or fold to create a variety of textures

Steps:

• 1. To prepare your vegetables:
  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Halve and deseed the pepper, then cut each half into 4 pieces. Peel the red onion and cut into 8 wedges. Carefully cut the squash in half then scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut each half into 2cm chunks. Wash and trim the baby leeks. Halve the courgettes lengthways then slice into 2cm chunks. Top and tail the aubergine, cut it into quarters, then into 2cm chunks. Quarter the tomatoes. Leave the cloves of garlic in their skins but squash them with the heel of your hand.
  3. Put all the veg in an extra large roasting tray, or 2 smaller ones. Crush the coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar then scatter over the veg with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pick and roughly chop the rosemary leaves. Pick the thyme leaves. Scatter all of the herbs over the veg. Drizzle it all well with olive oil, then toss to coat.
  4. To cook and serve your vegetables: Roast your veg in the hot oven for around 50 minutes, or until soft, golden and cooked through. Serve with anything from roast chicken to grilled meats or fish, or try tossing with pasta or couscous for a simple veggie meal.
  5. Jamie's top tips:
  6. If the vegetables seem crowded in a single roasting pan, divide them between two. Overcrowding the pan will stop enough heat getting to the vegetables and they will steam rather than roast.
  7. Turning the vegetables as they roast helps them to cook evenly. If you’re using two roasting pans, swap them round half way through cooking. Roasting is a great way to make veg taste delicious, and it works for just about any combo – just make sure your oven is fairly hot, the veg are roughly the same size and that they get a good stir every now and again.
  8. You can also make this ahead of time and eat it cold – it’s just as delicious!