All the components can be made in advance and simply assembled before everyone arrives. I made this in May for the Seed + Mill x Building Feasts class at The Makers Studio in Chelsea Market NY.
This image is only one serving suggestion. Get as creative as you like as you layer your plate with toppings.
For the Salad
- 500g (1lb) approximately 4 raw beetroot (a variety of colour works brilliantly here)
- 2 tsp Malden salt
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 4 tsp sherry or red wine vinegar
- 60g (2oz) roasted pistachios, roughly chopped (if you have a pistachio dukkah lying around that would also be delicious)
- olive oil and a squeeze of lemon for dressing
- handful of blackberries, sliced lengthways for garnish
Additional Toppings
- rocket leaves, lambs lettuce, pea shoots
- dill/parsley/mint leaves
- edible flowers
- crumbled feta, goats cheese, or ricotta salata
Preheat oven to 190C (380F)
If the beetroot still have their leaves attached, cut them off at the bottom and keep to one side to use at another time.
Wash the beets, gently rubbing off any remnants of soil, keeping the skin in tact.
Cut 4 pieces of tin foil large enough to generously hold each beetroot (if you are using baby beets you can cluster them together in parcels of 3 or 4 but separate them by colour).
Drizzle each parcel with salt, olive oil and vinegar, seal losely but securely and place on a roasting tin in the oven.
Cook for 45-75 minutes depending on their size and age – check intermittently – they are done when they are tender and can be pierced with a knife without much resistance.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Keep them in their parcels and reserve all the liquid as a dressing later.
Once the beets are cool, thinly slice on a mandolin or with a sharp knife (or if you prefer cut into wedges or a combination of both). Lay on a plate covered with a good sprinkling of a pistachios, some sprinkled blackberries, a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of the leftover beet cooking juices and a few toppings of your choice of greens from the above list.
Have you made this dish?
Let me know what you think, share your efforts and any tweaks you made to the recipe on Instagram, don’t forget to tag #BuildingFeasts or email me on info@buildingfeasts.com
