-Bride_to_Be_Australia_2014-02-04

beetroot salad

SERVES 8

STUFFED OLIVES

200 g (7 oz) green Sicilian olives

blended oil (95% canola + 5% extra virgin)

6 long red chillies

GARLIC CONFIT

2 garlic bulbs

200 ml (7 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

BEETROOT SALAD

2 heads of witlof (chicory)

12 baby golden beetroot (beets), trimmed

12 baby purple beetroot (beets), trimmed

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) rock salt

200 g (7 oz) feta cheese

20 ml (½ fl oz) balsamic vinegar

Fine sea salt and

freshly ground black pepper

135g (4 ¾ oz) stuffed olives (see above)

100g (3 ½ oz) smoked pecans

300g (10 ½ oz) watercress, picked

extra virgin olive oil

Stuffed Olives
Carefully pit the olives so you can stuff
them later. If they’re too hard, warm them
over a low heat in a small saucepan with
enough blended oil to cover them. Cook
gently for about 15−20 minutes, or just
enough to soften them. Keep the oil to
store the olives in later. Barbecue the
chillies until blackened all over then place in
a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to
steam and cool. Once cool enough to
handle, peel, deseed and chop them. Stuff
the chillies inside the olives then place them
in a jar and pour in enough of their cooking
oil to cover them completely. Seal and store
in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Garlic Confit
Get your barbecue going and place the
garlic bulbs directly onto the hot coals,
turning occasionally until black on the
outside (this should take about 5−8
minutes). Place the charred bulbs in a bowl,
cover with plastic wrap and leave to steam
and cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel
away the charred garlic skins and retrieve
each clove, carefully placing them in a small
saucepan with the extra virgin olive oil.
Place over a very low heat and gently cook
for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Remove
the pan from the heat and keep the garlic in
the oil until ready to dish up.

Beetroot Salad
Halve the witlofs by cutting down the centre
of each head. Grill over the hot coals for

about 5−10 minutes, or until dark all over.

Remove from the heat, place in a bowl and

cover with plastic wrap.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4)

and place the beetroot on a bed of rock

salt in a roasting tin, cover with foil and

place in the oven for 25−30 minutes, or

until cooked (when a skewer passes

through them easily). Remove the beetroot,

allow to cool for 10 minutes then pull off the

foil. Remove and discard the stems and

peel the beetroot while they’re still warm,

keeping the two colours in separate bowls.

Their skins should slip off with ease.

Remove the cooled witlof core with a knife,

trying to keep it in one piece, then discard it.

Place the witlof on a serving platter, spreading

out their leaves, then spoon the feta cheese

over them in a few spots. Dress the purple

beetroot with balsamic vinegar and season

with salt and pepper. Season the golden

beetroot with salt and pepper. Slice or cut

some of the larger beets into wedges if you

like, then scatter them around the platter with

the olives and pecans. Carefully remove the

confit from the oil and place around the

platter. Quickly dress the watercress with

some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper,

then place it over the beetroot and finish with

a final crack of black pepper.

285 | bridetobe.com.au