Should we change our lifestyle a little?

Should we change our lifestyle a little?

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Black rice with fennel and butternut squash (pictured above)

This vegan platter is great served at room temperature, so you can get ahead and prepare the rice, roasted vegetables and dressing up to a few hours in advance, assembling everything to serve.

Prep 15 min

Cook 55 min

Serves 4 as a side or part of a spread

125g black rice

Salt and black pepper

½ small butternut squash (500g), peeled, seeds discarded and cut into 1cm thick half-moons

2 fennel bulbs (600g), trimmed and cut into 1cm slices

2 red chillies, 1 left whole and 1 thinly sliced (deseeded if you don’t like heat)

1½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed

75ml olive oil

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 small garlic bulb, top trimmed to expose the cloves

2 banana shallots (100g), skin on, tops trimmed to expose the flesh

1 tbsp lemon juice

5g dill, finely chopped

5g chives, finely chopped

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425Fgas 7. Put the rice in a medium saucepan with plenty of water, put on a medium heat, bring to a boil and cook for 35 minutes, then add a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Continue to cook for five minutes, until cooked but with a slight bite, then drain very well and transfer to a large bowl.

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As the rice cooks, put the butternut squash, fennel, the whole chilli and fennel seeds in a large, 40 x 30cm tray lined with baking paper, and add two tablespoons of oil, two and a half tablespoons of maple syrup, a teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Mix well, then spread out as much as possible. Drizzle a little oil over the garlic bulb and shallots, wrap individually in foil and put in the corners of the tray. Roast for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are golden brown