Roasted vegetables with goat's cheese and smashed tomatoes

Serves 4

This makes a lovely lunch dish on its own, or can be served as an accompaniment to simply grilled meat © Lisa Barber

This makes a lovely lunch dish on its own, or can be served as an accompaniment to simply grilled meat. The sweet zingy topping is delicious on just about anything. Sometimes for a snack I spread it on toast, perhaps with a little ricotta.

Sprouting broccoli is very good and in season at the moment – I like to eat as much as possible while it is around.

For the smashed tomatoes

12 cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200ml/7fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves only
3 good-quality anchovies packed in salt
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tbsp good-quality red-wine vinegar

For the vegetables

1 sweet potato
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp maple syrup
1tbsp tamari or soy sauce
4-5 stalks of sprouting broccoli, trimmed but leaving some dark leaves attached
The juice of one lemon
80ml/3fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
120g/4oz little cooked white beans, such as coco or cannellini
160g/51/2oz soft goat's cheese

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Place the tomatoes in a roasting tray with a little salt and pepper and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place on the middle shelf and roast for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are bursting from their skins. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a large pestle and mortar, place the rosemary leaves, anchovies and garlic and pound until you have a rough paste; now add the tomatoes two or three at a time, pounding in small increments, otherwise they tend to go everywhere.

Keep adding until all the tomatoes are incorporated, then add the vinegar. Stir well, then pour in the remaining olive oil, stirring as you go. Set aside to allow the flavours to become acquainted.

To make the vegetables, keep the oven at 200C. Place the sweet potato in a roasting tray, pour over the olive oil, maple syrup and tamari, toss together with your hands and roast in the oven until caramelised, which should take 20-25 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool to room temperature. Boil a large pan of well-salted water and plunge the broccoli in; cook for two minutes. Drain, dress with the olive oil and lemon juice and season with the salt and pepper. Arrange the broccoli, beans and sweet potato attractively on a plate, crumble over the goat's cheese, spoon the crushed tomato over the top and serve. '