Preparation time
30 mins
Cooking time
2 hr 30 mins
Serves
4
with brown butter, root vegetables & whipped anise goat's cheese
There are few food and wine frontiers as great as Great Southern, whose star has risen thanks to its exceptional expressions of classic varietals. For chef Silas Masih of Forest Hill's Pepper & Salt Restaurant, food should not just nourish the body - it should inspire the soul. His baked beetroot dish - especially when enjoyed with the deep, textural flavours of the Forest Hill Vineyard Merlot - does just that.
INGREDIENTS
2 red beetroots, trimmed, washed
2 yellow beetroots, trimmed, washed
400g coarse rock salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 star anise
5 sprigs lemon thyme
4 cloves garlic, unskinned
ROOT VEGETABLES
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons reserved salt (from baked beetroot)
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters lengthways
1 bunch baby heirloom carrots, trimmed, washed
4 small parsnips, peeled, halved lengthways
2 medium zucchinis
BROWN BUTTER
120g butter, cut into cubes
WHIPPED ANISE GOAT"S CHEESE
110g goat’s cheese
½ teaspoon ground star anise
½ teaspoon ground cumin
15ml olive oil
METHOD
TO SERVE
Micro red vein sorrel leaves
1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C and line an oven tray with foil. Mix rock salt with cumin seeds, star anise, lemon thyme and garlic. Heap the mixture into a pile and sit the beetroot on salt. Scoop the salt on top and pat it around the beetroot. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours or until the beetroot is tender when pierced with a knife. Set aside to cool, reserving salt.
2. Peel the beetroots and squeeze the garlic and massage into beetroot. Set to one side.
3. For root vegetables: Crush some of the reserved salt in a mortar and pestle. Place in a bowl with oil and add root vegetables. Increase the oven to 190oC. Toss vegetables in oil and salt. Place on a baking tray, roast for 1 hour or until vegetables caramelise.
4. For brown butter: Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add butter. When butter foams and is an even brown colour, remove from the heat and pour over roasted vegetables.
5. Whipped anise goat’s cheese: Place all ingredients in a small food processor. Process to combine. Spoon over root vegetables and beetroot.
6. To serve: Place whipped goat’s cheese on plate, top with beetroot and vegetables. Garnish with red vein sorrel.
Note: Keep the cooled salt to flavour barbeques or roasts.