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In Defense of British Food – 2014

Posted on August 16, 2014 by edibletcetera

This summer I was bound and determined to try what are arguably reputed to be the best fish & chips in the UK. This meant persuading a family member to drive all the way to the Yorkshire coast to visit The Magpie Cafe, located in the historic fishing port of Whitby, where the fish on your plate was swimming happily that very morning – and it doesn’t get much fresher than that.

Anticipating at least a one-hour wait to be seated (we’d been warned), we stood outside on the steep little steps for only 20 minutes before we were ushered into the 260+ yr old whaling-merchant’s cottage. Not a problem on a sunny, breezy day, as we watched the trawlers and sightseeing boats make their way past the Victorian harbor wall and out to sea.

Back to fish ‘n chips; the menu listed fish I’d never heard of but to my mind, perfect fish and chips means haddock. Portions are large so I opted for the smaller size that still managed to overflow my plate. I can honestly say that this haddock was the juiciest, freshest fish I’ve ever tasted and the batter was as light, as crunchy and as golden as any batter could be. The hand-cut chips were perfect – thick as your thumb, hot, crisp and fluffy inside. My side order of mushy peas, which I know isn’t to everyone’s taste, was perfect after a good dousing with malt vinegar.

If you plan to travel around the UK, I highly recommend adding The Magpie Cafe to you list of places to eat – but be warned; it will spoil you for what passes as ‘fish & chips’ just about everywhere else.

Another restaurant I was really keen to try was Prashad, located in Drighlington near Bradford, West Yorkshire. A 100% vegetarian Indian restaurant, it came highly recommended and even received a massive thumbs-up from Gordon Ramsey when it made it to the finals on BBC Channel 4’s ‘Ramsay’s Best Restaurant 2010’. I’m no vegetarian but I can tell you that it didn’t matter one bit.

The food at Prashad is simply exquisite. When I mentioned that I planned to write about the experience, we were presented with an extra dish, ‘Special Chaat’ that we hadn’t chosen from the menu; this was after I’d ordered and eaten their wonderful ‘Thali’ (a selection of different dishes) and was completely full. ‘Special Chaat’ is described as – ‘a vibrant medley of tastes & textures, diced hot samosa, topped with pastry, potato, chickpeas, yoghurt & tamarind dressing’ – I ate the whole thing and it tasted a million times better that the description.

BTW, don’t bother ordering wine – beer is best here and their mango lassi drink was the best I’ve ever tasted. If you’re a curry-lover, Prashad is the one place you should visit before you die.

I did eat my way around the south of England (and very well indeed) but as I’ve written glowingly about The Crabmill at Preston Bagot near Stratford-Upon-Avon before, I’m skipping over it here other than to post a picture of my lunch; this time before I’d already ruined its appearance by sticking my fork into it. My roasted wild salmon with pancetta on a bed of langoustine pasta, was perfect.

Another place well worth a visit if you like touring the countryside visiting old English gastro-pubs, is The Bell at Alderminster. Quaint on the inside and with lovely gardens at the back for summer dining. English duck, crab and lamb are featured along with some creative risottos but if all you want is a sandwich for lunch, their paninis are excellent.

Finally, and because it was one of the highlights of my trip, the Leeds covered market is well worth exploring if like me you’re starved of seeing fresh fish, shellfish and crab presented as they should be. Most of the fish displayed below are unavailable where I live in Colorado, so I’m ending this week’s post with a picture or two of glorious British seafood.

Posted in Food & Travel | 7 Comments

Recipes: Plum & Apricot Galette – and a Plum Crumble with Walnuts.

Posted on August 9, 2014 by edibletcetera

I’ve a long-held fondness for Victoria plums, aka Italian prune plums, that harks back to the garden of my childhood where our two plum trees yielded so much fruit that each summer their branches frequently cracked under the weight. That is until a favorite uncle built a bonfire a bit too close to one of them. We still managed very well with the remaining plum tree but he was forbidden to busy himself in our garden after that.

These are the very best type of plum for baking in pies, tarts or crumbles, etc and because their US season is short (where I live), I’m sharing two recipes today; the first is Nigel Slater’s one-crust fruit pie/galette from his ‘Real Cooking’ cookbook – his is my favorite version of the classic, with it’s tender crust and rustic simplicity.

The second recipe is one that Delia Smith published in the London Evening Standard way back in the 1970’s; her plum, oat and walnut crumble recipe is one I’ve been making over and over again for the past 35 years and is about as perfect a crumble as you can get.

For the one-crust fruit galette and with regard to making pastry from scratch; as long as it’s handled properly, i.e., not too much – and as long as the butter is chilled and you stick the dough in the freezer for a bit before rolling it out, you’ll have a perfect, crisp, buttery, pastry crust.

Here I’ve combined Victoria plums with fresh apricots that were so ripe, the stones fell right out of them when I picked them up but you can use any fruit you like.

I used less than the suggested amount of sugar below because I wanted a slightly tart ‘tart’, allowing the flavor of the plums and apricots to really shine. The amount of sugar is up to you because the sharper the fruit, the more sugar you’ll need. On the other hand, I was pretty generous with the sugar I sprinkled over the pastry before sticking it in the oven.

One more thing – I use a food processor to make pastry and crumbly toppings. Purists will say that one is supposed to use one’s fingers but this blog is about food that’s ‘Fast & Fabulous’ and pulsing flour and butter a few times is not only fast, it’s fabulously easy.

I own a rolling pin but if you don’t, a clean wine bottle does the trick.

Plum & Apricot Galette

EASY ONE-CRUST FRUIT GALETTE

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

7oz (200g) of plain/all purpose flour

4 and a ½ oz (125g) of unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Pinch of sea salt

1 and 3/4lbs (800g) of fruit (plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, pears, apples, blackberries, blueberries, etc – whatever you like)

2 ½ – 3 ½ oz (75-95g) of sugar

Lightly beaten egg white or milk for the pastry wash

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet/shallow roasting pan with parchment.

Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it’s the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Add two or three tablespoons of cold water, pulse again and very gently scoop the dough out onto a floured board. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If you’ve added too much water and you have a sticky dough, sprinkle with a bit more flour.

Without unnecessary squeezing or kneading, carefully gather it up into a ball, wrap it in cling film/plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes while you prepare the fruit.

Halve and stone the plums (or peel pears, core apples, quarter peaches, pit the cherries, etc). Toss the fruit in some of the sugar in a large bowl.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board and when you have a sort of round square that’s about 12 ins (30cm) across, drape it carefully over the rolling pin and center it on the baking parchment-lined baking sheet.

Pile the fruit into the center of the pastry and fold the pastry edges into the center, creating a rather haphazard rim that doesn’t meet in the middle. The fruit needs to be a snug fit but you want a sizable hole in the top for the fruit to show through. Brush the pastry with egg white or milk and scatter with more sugar.

Bake it for 40 mins, until the fruit is tender and the pastry is golden brown. Serve it warm or at room temp with a good dollop of crème fraîche or ice cream.

And now for the plum and walnut crumble –

Plum & Walnut Crumble

PLUM CRUMBLE with WALNUTS

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

2 lbs (1 kilo) of plums, halved and stones removed

4 oz (114g) of soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

And for the topping:

3 oz (85g) of whole-wheat flour

3 oz (85g) of butter, chilled and cut into pieces

3 oz (85g) of thick cut oats

3 oz (85g) of soft brown sugar

3 oz of finely chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C).

Arrange the plums in a well-buttered 12 in (30cm) baking dish and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon.

Put the butter, flour, cinnamon and half of the oats in a food processor and pulse until it’s crumbly and the butter has been incorporated. Transfer the crumble to another bowl and fold in the remaining oats, sugar and chopped nuts – stir well to combine, then scatter the crumble on top of the fruit.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the topping is golden and you have lovely, bubbling, sticky plummy edges.

I like to serve this warm or at room temp with crème fraîche, vanilla or cinnamon ice cream – or perhaps if its a cold day, a jug of steaming hot British Custard (crème Anglaise).

Posted in Desserts | 9 Comments

Recipe: Quinoa Tabbouleh (with Chicken)

Posted on August 2, 2014 by edibletcetera

Vegetarians can disregard the chicken because this lovely, fresh-tasting and summery salad is wonderful with or without it – perfect on a hot day.

Originating from the eastern Mediterranean, Tabbouleh is traditionally made with bulgur (cracked) wheat that’s been soaked and softened. Because many people can’t tolerate wheat in any form, cooked quinoa makes a perfect substitute and packs a good punch of protein.

I love quinoa; great nutritional value aside, its light nutty taste makes it versatile enough for baking in desserts, burgers, soups, casseroles, etc.

A tip – I make a batch once or twice a week and sprinkle it over fresh fruit – and adding it to all types of salads will give them substance and a delicious boost.

Back to Tabbouleh – it helps if you have a food processor to finely chop the herbs but doing it by hand just takes a few extra minutes. I also recommend making it at least a couple of hours ahead to allow the flavors to develop and it will last for several days kept covered in the fridge.

If you want to increase the amount of quinoa, just double the quantities of everything – the cooking time remains the same.

I like to serve it with a few soft lettuce leaves – the sort you can fill with Tabbouleh, roll up and stuff straight into your mouth. Perfect picnic fodder!

QUINOA TABBOULEH (with CHICKEN)

(Serves 4-6 with chicken – or 6-8 without, as a side salad)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (120ml) of quinoa

2 oz (50g) of Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

8 scallions (spring onions) trimmed and chopped, including green parts

4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 large ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped (see below)

2 oz (50g) of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, stalks discarded

4-6 ins (10-15cm) of hothouse (English) cucumber, unpeeled and chopped finely

4 tablespoons of extra-v olive oil

Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Optional – half a roasted chicken (preferably organic), skin and bones removed then cut into bite-sized chunks

Action:

To cook the quinoa, bring 1 cup (240ml) of water to a rapid boil, add salt to taste and pour in the quinoa. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes then turn off the heat and fluff it a bit with a fork (it won’t look cooked) – put the lid back on and leave it for another 15 minutes to swell and soften. Transfer it to a large bowl to cool.

Add the chopped parsley and spring onions to the cooled quinoa then pour over the lemon juice and salt to taste. Mix everything together well and chill it for at least 1-2 hrs.

To skin and de-seed the tomatoes cut a small ‘X’ in the top and pour boiling water over them. After a minute pour the water away and once they’re cool, peel the skin off.

Cut them in half around the ‘equator’ and on a cutting board (preferably with a grooved edge to catch liquids) place them cut-side down and gently press down with the palm of your hand until the seeds all squirt out. You don’t need to be too pernickety about it as one or two seeds may still lurk in there – just squeeze any remaining seeds out with your fingers.

Finely chop the remaining tomato flesh and add this to the chilled quinoa mixture along with the chopped mint, cucumber, olive oil and black pepper. Give it all a good stir and check the seasoning.

If you’re going to serve this with chicken, fold it into the Tabbouleh at the last minute and check the seasoning once more.

Serve the Tabbouleh with soft lettuce leaves.

Posted in Made in Under 30 mins, Poultry, Salads & Appetizers, Vegan, Vegetables / Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Recipe: Peach & Blueberry Batter Pudding (Flaugnarde)

Posted on July 26, 2014 by edibletcetera

What’s the difference between a Flaugnarde and a Clafoutis?

Both are classic French dishes and technically, Flaugnarde and Clafoutis are the same thing except that strictly speaking, a Clafoutis should be made with black cherries if you’re going to call it that.

Because local Colorado peaches are at their best right now and are begging to be baked with a handful of lovely ripe blueberries, this is a Flaugnarde!

Resembling a tender, moist pancake, the cooled pudding is dusted with powdered/icing sugar and is best served either warm or at room temperature.

In this version I used skim milk and substituted some of the milk with fruit-soaked wine, giving it a light texture and slightly boozy perfume which doesn’t prevent it from being a luxurious breakfast dish – although some people will always consider it dessert.

As you only need to use a small amount of the fruity wine for the pudding, the remainder would make a refreshing spritzer for the cook; just pour it over ice and top up with sparkling water.

Peach & Blueberry ‘Flaugnarde’

PEACH & BLUEBERRY BATTER PUDDING (FLAUGNARDE)

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

2 large ripe peaches

1 cup (240ml measure) of fresh blueberries

1 cup (240ml) of white wine

5 tablespoons / 2 and 1/2 oz (71g) of unsalted butter

4 large eggs

3 oz / 1/2 cup (85g) of sugar

Pinch of sea salt

2 oz / 1/2 cup (57g) of all-purpose (plain) white flour

1 cup (240ml) of skimmed (fat free) milk

1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

Powdered/icing sugar for dusting

Action:

Preheat the oven to 325F (162C).

Butter a shallow two quart (2.25l) gratin or baking dish.

Slice the peaches into 1/4-1/2 inch (6-12mm) wedges. Put them in a bowl with the blueberries and pour the wine over the fruit. Soak for 15-20 minutes.

Melt the butter and cool it a bit.

Whisk the eggs together with the sugar and a pinch of salt until you have a pale, foamy bulk. Carefully whisk in the flour, the melted butter, vanilla and 1/4 cup (60ml) of the wine the fruit has been soaking in; continue to whisk until its completely smooth.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fruit to the buttered baking dish then carefully pour the batter over the fruit (which will rise).

Stick it in the upper third of the oven for approx 1 hour or until the batter is golden, puffy and set in the center.

Cool the Flaugnarde on a wire rack and just before serving, dust it with powdered/icing sugar.

Bon Appétit!

Posted in Desserts | 8 Comments

Recipe: My Favorite Gazpacho

Posted on July 17, 2014 by edibletcetera

It’s so bloody hot in Colorado right now (96F/35C) that the thought of cooking anything, let alone writing about the World’s Best Fish and Chips that I recently enjoyed in the UK, has left me feeling positively limp.

Great Fish and Chips (and other British gastro-delights) will have to wait for another time because all I can think of right now is diving headfirst into a bowl of deeply smokey-savory and fresh-tasting chilled Gazpacho; perfect for hot summer days and nights.

So – here’s my version of what was originally Gordon Ramsey’s version of Gazpacho. That brilliant kitchen demon would probably slap me soundly if he saw what I’d done to his version but frankly, this is how I like it and anyway, Gazpacho has been around for a lot longer than either of us, which makes us all free to make it our own by adding more of this, less of that and so-on.

I use a blender; just a bit. I don’t peel my English hot-house cucumber and I don’t use Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins) or stock. I replaced regular Tabasco with Chipotle Tabasco because I’m addicted to smokey chipotle chili. If you can’t find it, use regular Tabasco and add some smoked Paprika. There’s something so very Spanish about smoked peppers and chili; likewise sherry vinegar.

I also replaced GR’s tarragon with flat leaf parsley; I added some finely diced avocado and cucumber as a garnish because I like the crunch on top and the contrast of red and green; in fact my version is nothing like his version come to think of it!

BTW, did you know that chopped fresh parsley freezes really well? A French trick apparently. Use the flat leaf variety, chop it up and store it in a small container in the freezer. It will keep beautifully for whenever you need it. No more yellowing, floppy bunches lurking in the back of your veg compartment!

GAZPACHO

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

6 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped

1 med-large red pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped

1 small red or sweet white onion (or half a big one) peeled and roughly chopped

¾ of an English (hot-house) cucumber, roughly chopped and with about 4 tablespoons diced finely and set aside for the garnish

½ a firm but ripe avocado, finely diced for the garnish

A tablespoon of lemon juice, more or less to taste

3 tablespoons of sherry vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 fl oz (285ml) of really good tomato juice (even V8 works here) – add more if needed

A good handful of basil and flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Chipotle Tabasco to taste (or regular Tabasco and a sprinkle of smoked paprika to add the smoke)

Extra-v olive oil to finish

Croutons to serve (optional)

Action:

Put all the vegetables (aside from the 4 tablespoons of finely diced cucumber and avocado garnish) in the bowl of a food processor along with the lemon juice, sherry vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; pulse until very small pieces remain but you don’t want it to be completely smooth.

Transfer it to a large ceramic bowl and add the tomato juice (or V8), chopped herbs (reserve some for a garnish) and finally the Chipotle Tabasco, a little at a time, until you get the right balance of smoke and heat.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of four hours or overnight to allow the flavors to develop.

Serve the Gazpacho in chilled bowls topped with the reserved diced cucumber, avocado and a few herbs. Drizzle with a little olive oil and pass around some good home made croutons for bread-eaters to add themselves – and maybe some extra olive oil.

And please don’t forget to follow @Edibletcetera on Twitter!

Posted in Made in Under 30 mins, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables / Vegetarian | 2 Comments

Recipe: Edemame Dip with Ginger & Tahini

Posted on July 12, 2014 by edibletcetera

If you own a food processor and have 3 minutes to spare, that’s all the time it takes to create this delicious and nutritious Asian-inspired dip.

Increase the amount of cayenne if you want more fire because the fresh ginger in this recipe is just enough to make it fragrant.

If the consistency seems too dense, just add a drop more water.

I usually keep a pack of frozen edemame (shelled organic soy beans) in my freezer and this is a great last-minute appetizer snack for when you have to whip something up in a hurry, although it does need an hour of chilling for the flavors to fully develop.

Serve it with your favorite pita-type chips or crackers.

It keeps for about a week in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.

EDEMAME DIP with GINGER & TAHINI

(Serves 4-6 as an appetizer)

Ingredients:

8 ounces of frozen shelled edamame cooked according to instructions and reserve ½ to three quarters of a cup of the cooking water

2 tablespoons of tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce

*1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger

1 tablespoon of rice or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of tahini (sesame seed paste/butter)

1 peeled garlic clove

Pinch of salt

Cayenne and/or smoked paprika, to taste

Action:

Put the cooked edamame, water, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, tahini, garlic, salt and cayenne/and or smoked paprika (to taste) in a food processor and pulse until it’s smooth.

Chill it for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.

*Grated ginger freezes really well so you might want to make a batch and freeze it in little ice cube trays – another great time-saver!

Posted in Made in Under 30 mins, Salads & Appetizers, Vegan, Vegetables / Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Recipe: Fig & Walnut Cake with Anise

Posted on July 5, 2014 by edibletcetera

This unusual cake is lovely and moist, surprisingly light and tastes decidedly Italian, thanks to the combination of dried figs, toasted walnuts, aniseed and yeast (no need to prove/rise).

I found the recipe about 25 years ago but I’ve forgotten the source. Over the years, I’ve made it with regular and gluten-free flour and although I prefer it made with regular wheat flour, the gluten-free version is still delicious.

Serve it slightly warm or at room temp topped with a blob of crème fraîche and a few extra toasted walnuts – perfect with a nice afternoon cup of tea!

I prefer to use golden calimyrna figs rather than black mission figs but it’s up to you.

FIG & WALNUT CAKE with ANISEED

(Serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (160ml measure) of plain all-purpose flour, sifted

1 envelope (1/4oz – 7g) of active dry yeast

1 teaspoon of aniseed or fennel seed

1/4 teaspoon of salt

4 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup (120ml measure) of sugar, plus 2 extra tablespoons

2 oz (57g) of unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

1 packed cup (240ml measure) of trimmed and chopped dried calimyrna figs

1/2 cup (120ml measure) of toasted walnuts, plus a few extra to serve

Action:

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

Toast the walnuts while you make the cake batter. Put them on a baking tray in the preheated oven for 9 minutes until lightly golden. Rub the skins off with a soft cloth or swirl them around over the sink in a fine mesh metal strainer. Chop them roughly and set aside.

For the cake: line the base of a 9 inch (23cm) diameter spring-form pan then oil and flour the pan – shake out the excess flour.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, salt and aniseed/fennel seed.

In a large bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks and half a cup (120ml) of sugar until you have a pale, foamy bulk (about 3-4 minutes).

Gradually beat in the melted butter then the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour mixture followed by the chopped figs and walnuts. The batter will be very stiff.

Wash and dry your whisk, then in a separate large bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gradually whisk in the 2 remaining tablespoons of sugar until the whites are stiff (but not dry).

In 4 batches and using a large metal spoon, fold the whites into the cake batter with a cutting motion to gradually lighten it. Make sure everything is well combined and pour it into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface.

Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes. It’s ready when a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool it completely in the pan on a rack.

Best served at room temp with a good dollop of crème fraîche and scattered with few extra chopped toasted walnuts.

Posted in Desserts, Gluten Free Desserts | Leave a comment

Recipe: Asian Lettuce Wraps with Ground Turkey (or Pork), Mint & Cilantro

Posted on June 28, 2014 by edibletcetera

Fresh cilantro (aka coriander in the UK) and mint, are essential for this really easy, fresh-tasting Asian inspired dish.

The quantities here will serve four as an appetizer so you could double it up if you want to make it your main dish.

Thai-Spiced Turkey Lettuce Wraps

ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS with GROUND TURKEY (or Pork), MINT & CILANTRO

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

10 oz (285g) of ground turkey or pork

A bunch each of fresh cilantro (coriander leaf) and mint

4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice

2 green spring (salad) onions, shredded thinly

2 tablespoons of fresh breadcrumbs

1-2 tablespoons of nam-pla (Thai fish sauce) or more, to taste

1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, to taste

Sea salt

1 head of soft lettuce, leaves washed and separated

Action:

Chop enough of the mint and coriander/cilantro to make two heaped tablespoons of each and set the rest aside.

Put the ground turkey (or pork) in a pan with 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and enough lightly-salted cold water to cover. Breaking the meat up with a fork, bring it to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Take off the heat and tip everything into a mesh strainer and drain thoroughly.

Once the meat is drained, put it in a bowl and add the chopped mint and cilantro, shredded green onions, breadcrumbs, nam-pla, the remaining lime juice and cayenne pepper to taste.

Serve on a platter with the lettuce leaves and remaining mint and cilantro for everyone to make their own wraps, adding extra mint and cilantro if they want.

Posted in Indian & Asian Cuisine, Made in Under 30 mins, Meat, Poultry, Salads & Appetizers | Leave a comment

Recipe: Golden Beets with Toasted Hazelnuts, Goat Cheese & Orange

Posted on June 21, 2014 by edibletcetera

Oven-roasting beets (beetroot) really brings out their natural sweetness and when the pretty rainbow-colored beets are available, they make a lovely salad with toasted chopped hazelnuts, soft mild goat cheese and a zesty orange dressing.

You can prepare the hazelnuts and beets the day before and whereas this works with beets of any color, I think the golden ones look like a plateful of sunshine.

SALAD of OVEN ROASTED GOLDEN BEETS with GOAT CHEESE, HAZELNUTS and an ORANGE DRESSING

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

4 medium to large golden, pink or red beets, washed, trimmed and left unpeeled

4 oz (114g) of soft mild goat cheese, crumbled

2 oz (60g) of whole hazelnuts

Zest and juice of half an orange

2 tablespoons of toasted hazelnut oil

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon of chopped flat leaf parsley

Action:

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

Place the washed beets on a large sheet of heavy duty foil (or a double layer of thin foil), bring the sides up and crimp, to create a slightly roomy sealed parcel. This allows air to circulate.

Put the parcel of beets in the oven on a baking tray for 45 minutes, then put the whole hazelnuts on another baking tray in the oven along with the beets. After 9-10 minutes take everything out of the oven and allow the beets to cool in the parcel.

Rub the skins off the hazelnuts with a soft cloth, or using my preferred method which is to swirl them around in a fine mesh metal strainer, over the sink. You don’t need to get all the skin off, just most of it.

Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and set them aside.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off and trim any lingering threads. Slice each beet into 4 or six pieces and arrange on individual plates.

Whisk the OJ, zest, vinegar, hazelnut oil together and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, scatter the crumbled goat cheese over the beets, followed by some toasted chopped hazelnuts, a drizzle of dressing and a sprinkle of chopped parsley to finish.