Creamy Nut Crumble Recipe
This savoury vegetarian crumble is packed with hearty veg and chickpeas, and topped with a delicious nutty crumble. To make a vegan version, simply substitute the butter and cream for plant-based alternatives. Serves 4.
Method
Take the prepared sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots and cut them into small, bite-sized pieces (it doesn’t matter what shape, they just need to be evenly sized). Put all the veg in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for 8 minutes until just tender.
While the veg are cooking, make the crumble topping; whizz the oats, thyme and nuts together briefly in a food processor so that the nuts are roughly chopped, then add the flour and butter, a good pinch of salt and some black pepper, and blend until the mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Set the topping aside. Drain the vegetables when they have had their time, and return them to the warm pan.
Next, place a large, shallow pan over a medium-low heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, put the prepared onion in the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion starts to soften. Carefully tip the drained veg into the pan and cook over a low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring often, then add the fresh ginger, ground ginger, cream and stock, and cook gently for a further 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly.
Switch your oven on at 180⁰C (Gas Mark 4). Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chickpeas and parsley, then check you’re happy with the seasoning. Spoon or pour the mixture into a large baking dish (or you could divide it equally between four smaller dishes) and sprinkle over the crumble topping. Bake in the hot oven for about 25 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and the filling is piping hot, then serve (smaller dishes will need less cooking time).
