Name: Analiese Gregory’s roasted beetroot with bottarga and crème fraîche
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 12 unpeeled mixed beetroot (800gm), such as dark red, golden and chioggia, trimmed; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 thyme or kunzea sprigs (see note); 200 gm crème fraîche; 1 bunch chives, thinly sliced; Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon; 30 gm bottarga (see note), finely grated on a microplane; 50 ml blackcurrant vinegar (see note); 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 10 gm salted elderberries (see note); Tarragon leaves, fennel fronds or dill sprigs, to serve

“We have so many farmers that grow great beetroot down here, I’ve even had an ancient variety grown just for us – the crapaudine beet,” says Analiese Gregory. “Generally we are pretty lucky and can get amazing yellow, chioggia and red beets easily. This is how I like to eat them. I’ve used salted elderberries and blackcurrant vinegar because these are some of my pantry staples that I preserve throughout the year when the ingredients are readily available.”

At Franklin, Gregory adds kunzea (myrtle) to the beetroot while roasting and makes her own blackcurrant vinegar and salted elderberries; we’ve included substitutes.

Ingredients

12 unpeeled mixed beetroot (800gm), such as dark red, golden and chioggia, trimmed

1 tbsp olive oil

2 thyme or kunzea sprigs (see note)

200 gm crème fraîche

1 bunch chives, thinly sliced

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

30 gm bottarga (see note), finely grated on a microplane

50 ml blackcurrant vinegar (see note)

50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

10 gm salted elderberries (see note)

Tarragon leaves, fennel fronds or dill sprigs, to serve

Method

1.Preheat oven to 160°C. Place half the beetroot on a piece of foil large enough to enclose them. Drizzle with half the olive oil, add a sprig of thyme or kunzea, season to taste, and enclose to make a parcel. Repeat with remaining beetroot. Bake until beetroot are tender when pierced with a knife (45 minutes to 1 hour; see note). Cool, then peel and thinly slice.

2.Whisk crème fraîche in a bowl with chives, lemon zest and juice, and bottarga until soft peaks form.

3.Whisk vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and salted elderberries in a bowl to combine.

4.Spread crème fraîche on a flat plate, arrange beetroot slices on top, dress liberally with vinaigrette and top with tarragon to serve.

Kunzea, a type of myrtle, is available from select nurseries. Bottarga is available from select fishmongers.
To make blackcurrant vinegar, add a few frozen blackcurrants to good-quality sherry vinegar.
Salted elderberries can be substituted with small fresh or thawed frozen blackberries sprinkled with salt.
* Beetroot parcels can also be cooked buried in coals.
Wine suggestion 2015 Tschida “Himmel auf Erden Rosé” cabernet franc, Burgenland, Austria. Wine suggestion by Forbes Appleby.

Notes

Analiese Gregory

Recipe / styling by Lisa Featherby

Ingredients

Method

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