Here’s a dish that looks fabulously frivolous on a winter table and the sweet roasted beets and crunchy hazelnuts team beautifully with the tart zingy cream.
This bright, earthy concoction isn’t particularly historically French but it’s definitely posh. I like it at this time of year as it’s great as a simple seasonal dish on its own with a sliced baguette or as a side to a main meal.
Ingredients
8–10 small/med chioggia and golden baby beets, some sliced and some wedged
2 tbsp Champagne or good white wine vinegar (available from La Cave or Vetro)
1 tsp runny honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
½ clove garlic, crushed
½ cup thick Greek yoghurt
½ cup crème fraîche
a decent handful of dill, chopped
¼ cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped/crushed.
Method
Make a rough vinaigrette by mixing together the honey, Champagne/vinegar, mustard and olive oil. Season to taste. Set aside so the flavours get to know each other.
Preheat your oven to 180°C and lay the cut beets on a lined baking tray. Toss to coat in a little olive oil, season and roast until tender, around 35–40 minutes.
Mix together the garlic, crème fraîche, yoghurt and dill. Taste to check seasoning. Spread this herbed cream on a platter. Place the warm beets in a bowl and pour over the vinaigrette. Thoroughly toss to coat.
Arrange the dressed roasted beets on top of the herbed cream.
Sprinkle over more chopped dill and the crushed hazelnuts. Finish with a decent drizzle of olive oil.
From Nourish magazine, used with permission.
