Delicious UK - (04)April 2020

Spelt‘risotto’with

roastedbeetroot,walnuts

andgoat’scheese

SERVES4.HANDS-ON TIME 45 MIN, OVEN

TIME 1 HOUR

Spelthasa nuttyflavourthat

pairswellwithearthybeetroot.

Lookoutforbunchesofbeetroot

withtheleavesstillattached–

youcanfrytheleavesandstems

to serve alongside the dish.

MAKE

AHEAD

Preparethebeetroottothe

endofstep1 upto2 days

ahead, then cover and chill.

• 500gbeetroot,withleaves/stems
  if possible(about5 golfball-size
  beets;seeintroduction)


• 3 garliccloves(1whole, 2 crushed)


• 4 tbspoliveoil


• 1 onion,chopped


• 1 leek,trimmedandchopped


• 1 freshthymesprig


• 200gpearledspelt


• 200mldryredwine


• 1 litrevegetablestock


• 25gunsaltedbutter


• 1 tspbalsamicvinegar


• 100gcrumblygoat’scheese


• 50gwalnut halves, toasted in a
  dry pan

1 Heattheovento180°C/160°Cfan/

gas4.Trimandreservethestalks

andleavesfromthebeetroot(see

introduction).Putthewhole,

unpeeledbeetsina smallroasting

tin.Addthewholegarlicclove,

seasonwithsaltandpepper,then

drizzlewith1 tbspoftheoiland

2 tbspwater.Covertightlywithfoil

and cook on the middle shelf of the

ovenfor1 houroruntiltenderwhen

testedwitha knife.Cool,thenpeel

andchop(seeMakeAhead).

2 Putthechoppedonionandleekin

a largepan,add2 tbspoilandcook

overa low-mediumheatfor 10

minutes,stirringfrequently,until

softbutnotcoloured.Addhalfthe

crushedgarlicandthethyme,then

cookfor 30 seconds.Addthespelt,

stirtocoat,cookfor1 minute,then

pourinthewine.Mixwellandcook

untilalmostallthewinehas

evaporated/beenabsorbed.

3 Graduallyaddthestock,a ladleful

ata time,andcook,stirringalmost

constantly,untilthestockhasbeen

absorbedbythespelt.Whenyou’ve

addedhalfthestock,addthe

beetroot,thencontinueaddingthe

stockgraduallyuntilthespeltis

tenderandthe‘risotto’isthickand

rich.Youmaynotneedallthestock.

4 Removethethymesprig,stirin

thebutterandseasonwell.Addthe

balsamicvinegar.Coverwitha lid.

5 Heat1 tbspoilina fryingpan,add

thebeetrootleavesandstemsand

theremainingcrushedgarlic,season

andcookquicklyovera medium-

highheatuntilwiltedandtender.

6 Spoontherisottoontoplates,top

withthefriedgreens,crumbleover

thegoat’scheese,scatterwith

toastedwalnutsandserve.

PERSERVING517kcals,32.1gfat

(10.4gsaturated),13.8gprotein,

30.2gcarbs(12.4g sugars), 0.6g

salt, 7.3g fibre

Asparagusand

babyleektart

SERVES6.HANDS-ON TIME 25 MIN, OVEN

TIME 25-30 MIN

Usingready-rolledall-butter

puffpastrymakesthistartso

simple.Tailortheherbstosuit

yourtasteandwhatyouhaveto

hand– chiveswouldbegreatin

thefilling,anddillorchervilon

top wouldn’t be out of place.

FOOD

TEAM’S

TIP

Ifyoucan’tfindbabyleeks

usea bunchofspring

onions instead.

• 400gasparagus


• 6 babyleeks(seetip)


• 320gready-rolled all-butter puff
  pastry


• 250gfull-fatcreamcheese


• 1 mediumfree-rangeegg


• 1 mediumfree-rangeeggyolk


• 20gvegetarianhardcheese,grated


• 1 tspfinelygratedlemonzest


• 1 tbspchoppedfreshflatleaf
  parsley,plusextratoserve


• 1 tbspchoppedfreshtarragon,
  plusextratoserve


• 1 freshthymesprig, leaves picked


• 25gpinekernels


• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 Heattheovento190°C/170°Cfan/

gas5 andputa bakingsheet on the

middleshelftoheatup.

2 Trimtheasparagusandleeksto

about18cmlong,thenboilinsalted

waterfor2 minutes.Drainina

colanderandrunundercoldwater

tostopthevegcooking.Cutany

fatterlengthsinhalflengthways,

thenleavetodryonkitchenpaper.

3 Unrollthepastry,withitsbaking

paper,ontoanotherbakingsheet.

Usingthepointofa sharpknife,

scorea 2cmborderaroundthe

pastry(don’tcutallthewaythrough).

Prickalloverthepastrywitha fork,

thenslideit (onthebakingpaper)

fromthecoldbakingsheettothe

hotsheetintheoven.Cookfor 10–15

minutesuntilpalegolden.

4 Forthefilling,tipthecream

cheeseintoa bowl,thenaddthe

egg,eggyolk,gratedcheese,lemon

zestandchoppedparsleyand

tarragon.Season,thenbeatuntil

smoothandthoroughlycombined.

5 Spreadthecreamcheesemixture

evenlyontothepastrycase,then

topwiththeleeksandasparagus.

Scatterwiththethymeandpine

kernels,thendrizzlewiththeoil.

Bakefor25–30minutes,turningthe

sheetaroundhalfwaythrough.

6 Leavetocoolslightlybefore

scatteringwithextraherbsand

servingwitha crispleafsalad.

PERSERVING279kcals,24.2gfat

(11.2gsaturated),8.9gprotein,

4.7gcarbs(4.2g sugars), 0.4g salt,

3.3g fibre →

94 deliciousmagazine.co.uk