Have you got root vegetables filed away as a side to meat? What if they could be something more? We'll show you how to turn carrots, celeriac or beetroot into a main course, and how the air fryer can conjure up a whole meal at once.
Root veg in the leading role
Root veg has one big advantage in autumn. It's cheap, it keeps for ages and it tastes good even with the barest seasoning. The catch is elsewhere. To come out crisp rather than mushy, it wants a higher temperature. And once you want meat or the other half of the meal alongside it, you suddenly don't know what to start first.
This is where the Lauben DualZone Air Fryer 8000BC comes in. It has two separate baskets, each with its own settings, so you roast the root veg in one and, say, a chicken thigh in the other. The DualZone technology makes sure both are ready at the same moment. It cooks with hot air and far less fat, so the result is crisp but lighter than from a pan. The inner trays then go in the dishwasher.
Celeriac steak with spiced chickpeas
Celeriac is underrated, yet it holds its own as a proper main course. Roasting brings out its sweetness and softens the middle, and then all it needs is the crisp chickpeas from the second basket.
Ingredients:
- 1 large celeriac bulb
- 1 tin of chickpeas (400 g)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove
- salt, pepper
- to serve: plain yoghurt or tahini, parsley, lemon
Method:
- Peel the celeriac and cut it into slices 2 cm thick. Brush with a spoonful of oil, season with salt and pepper.
- Drain and pat the chickpeas dry. Toss with a spoonful of oil, the smoked paprika, cumin and crushed garlic.
- Preheat the air fryer with the PreHeat function. Put the celeriac in one basket on the vegetable setting, 200°C for 25 minutes, turning the slices halfway through.
- Put the chickpeas in the second basket at 200°C for 15 minutes and shake once. Set the synchronised finish so both baskets end together.
- Spoon the yoghurt or tahini over the celeriac, scatter with the chickpeas and parsley, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Roasted root medley with honey, thyme and chicken thigh
A classic the air fryer really suits. The honey caramelises the edges, the thyme adds its scent, and the thigh finishes in the second basket at the very same time.
Ingredients:
- 2 carrots
- 2 parsnips
- 1 small beetroot
- 2 chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- a few sprigs of thyme
- salt, pepper, smoked paprika
Method:
- Peel the root veg and cut into similarly sized batons. Toss with two tablespoons of oil, the honey, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Rub the chicken thighs with the remaining oil, salt and smoked paprika.
- Put the vegetables in one basket on the vegetable setting, 190°C for 25 minutes.
- Put the thighs in the second basket on the chicken setting, 200°C for 28 minutes, turning them halfway. Use the synchronised finish so the meat and vegetables are done together.
- Before serving, make sure the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
Stuffed roasted beetroot
Beetroot as you may not know it. Roasting softens and sweetens it, and a filling of cheese and nuts turns it into a centrepiece.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium beetroots
- 100 g feta or goat's cheese
- a handful of walnuts
- 2 tbsp cooked buckwheat or quinoa
- fresh thyme or parsley
- olive oil, salt, pepper
- honey to drizzle
Method:
- Wash the beetroots, rub with oil and salt. Roast them whole on the vegetable setting, 200°C for 35 minutes, until tender.
- Let them cool a little, peel and slice off the top. Scoop out a hollow with a spoon and chop the scooped-out flesh.
- Mix the flesh with the crumbled cheese, chopped walnuts, buckwheat and herbs. Season with pepper.
- Fill the beetroots with the mixture and return them to the air fryer at 180°C for 8 minutes, until the filling is heated through.
- Drizzle with honey and scatter with herbs.
FAQ
What should you coat root veg with to get it crisp? A thin layer of oil is enough, brush it on if you like. More oil won't make it crispier, it just drowns the veg. What matters more is not overfilling the baskets, otherwise the veg steams instead of roasting.
How long does each type take? Beetroot and celeriac take the longest, as they're dense. Carrots and parsnips are in the middle, and finer pieces like parsley root cook fastest. When you roast several types together, cut them to a similar size so they cook evenly.
Can you cook frozen root veg? Yes, put frozen veg straight into the basket, don't thaw it. Add a few extra minutes and shake it during cooking. You'll get it crisp, just a little later.
How do you line up the timings when cooking in two baskets at once? This is exactly what the synchronised finish is for. You set each basket separately and the air fryer works out when to start each one so both are ready together. No maths, and no cold side dish.
Why it's worth it
Root veg doesn't have to end up as a dull garnish. In two baskets you make it a whole course, with the meat or the extra finishing at the same moment. That's the whole magic of the DualZone 8000BC. You set it, get on with something else and come back to a finished meal.
