2 medium kumara
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp peanut or canolla oil
1 tsp cumin powder
pinch chilli powder (adjust quantity to taste) salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup stewed or canned apple slicesPeel the kumara and cook in boiling salted water until tender. While kumara is cooking, saute the onion & galic in a pan until onion is transparent. Add the chilli and cumin and continue cooking a further 1 minute. Drain the kumara reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. In a food processor add the kumara, 1/4 cup cooking water, onion mixture, salt, pepper and apple. Process until smooth.
Makes approx. 2 cups.

1kg orange kumara
2 tblspn canola oil
1 1⁄2 tspn ground cumin
1⁄4 tspn chilli powder
1⁄2 tspn salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes
small handful fresh coriander leaves
1 tspn white sugar
1 tblspn white wine vinegar
raw vegetables, eg, capsicums, carrots, celery; cut into crudités
pita bread, to servePreheat the oven to 180°C. Cut half of the kumara in half lengthwise. Place the pieces skin-side down in a deep baking dish and drizzle with the canola oil.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the kumara is soft. Remove the kumara from the oven and set it aside to cool.
Scrape the cooled kumara out of its skin and place it in a food processor with the spices and salt. Whiz the mixture and continue blending while gradually drizzling in the olive oil. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl.
Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Remove the eyes from the tomatoes and score them lightly. Blanch the tomatoes in the water for a minute, or until the skins start to fall away. Drain them and cool them in iced water.
Peel skins from tomatoes, slice them in half and deseed them. Dice tomatoes and place them in a small bowl. Add the roughly chopped coriander, sugar and vinegar.
Toss tomato mixture and place on top of kumara dip.
Peel the remaining orange kumara and cut into batons.
Serve dip with vegetable crudités, kumara batons and pita.
Serves 6.

250g Meadow Mushrooms Swiss Brown - sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves - chopped
390g-400g can chickpeas - liquid drained
2 tbsp tahini paste
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
125g goats cheese
salt & black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200ºC. Place sliced mushrooms and garlic on a foil covered baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast mushrooms in the oven for 12-15 minutes, tossing mushrooms and garlic in the oil every 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. In a food processor, place all ingredients, but only ½ of the goats cheese. Process until smooth. While processor is working, drizzle in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil until you get the consistency you desire.

Taste and check seasoning adding salt and pepper. Crumble and stir through the other ½ of the goats cheese. Serve as a dip or spread with peeled and sliced orange kumara sticks.

Serves 4.

Recipe by Tracy Scott