Baby kumara with preserved lemon, smoked butter and herbs

Kieran Scott

Al Brown's Depot: Biography of a Restaurant has been sitting in Jo's Kitchen for a few weeks now and I have observed everyone visiting or working in the kitchen go straight to it, flicking to see if the recipes for their favourites from the Depot menu are in there. They are. Every delicious recipe that has ever been served! The sweet notes in Al's smoked butter go so well with young kumara and are balanced by the sharp and salty preserved lemon. There is a recipe for preserved lemons in the book.

Ingredients

1 kg	Baby kumara, use gold and orange (Main)
1 serving	Olive oil
⅓ cup	Fresh mint, torn
⅓ cup	Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, torn
½	Preserved lemons, thinly sliced skin only (Main)
2 Tbsp	Smoked butter
¼ cup	Maple syrup, use a good quality variety

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Using a sharp knife cut the kumara in half lengthways and put in a bowl. Toss the kumara with olive oil, and salt and pepper. Place on a roasting tray and cook for 40–50 minutes until tender and caramelised.
3. Place the kumara on a serving dish, scatter over the torn mint and parsley and sliced preserved lemon skin. Spoon a couple of dollops of smoked butter over the kumara, and allow to melt slightly. Finish with a good drizzle of maple syrup and some pepper.