Rob’s Recipe of the Week: A Dish Full of Pink | Canalside Community Food

We’ve had a whole lot of beetroot to contend with this winter and I’m still trying to find new ways to use it. This recipe seemed very lockdown themed as I imagine a lot of people have been trying out sourdough bread for the first time. I’m not a big fan myself but combined with a beetroot gratin I can give it a chance!

Beetroot and pink peppercorn gratin

As good with roast beef for Sunday lunch as it is a smart veggie main. The pink peppercorns add an extra rosy zing, but just use normal black pepper if you can’t find them.

Serves 6 (Scale the recipe to match your share size.)

Ingredients
1.5kg beetroot, peeled
4 garlic cloves
250ml double cream
2 slices of day-old sourdough bread
40g butter, chilled, diced
Olive oil
3 tbsp finely ground pink peppercorns
Red wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Thinly slice the beetroot either by hand or using a mandolin.

2 Give the garlic cloves a good bash and pop them in a pan with the cream, slowly bring to the boil, simmer gently for 10 minutes and then leave to infuse for a further 10 minutes.

3 Sieve the cream on to the beetroot, pressing the garlic with the back of a spoon to extract the flavour. Season generously with salt and mix well.

4 Pack the beetroot into an ovenproof roasting dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for anywhere between 30-45 minutes (it will depend on the age and season of the beetroots) or until it yields easily to the tip of a knife.

5 Cut the crusts from your sourdough and blend the insides into a coarse crumb, add the cold butter and a small glug of olive oil and pulse again, as though you’re making a crumble topping.

6 Remove foil and stir in the pink peppercorns, a dash of red wine vinegar to taste and check the seasoning. Arrange in a gratin dish and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake until golden brown on top and bubbling.

Rob Andrew, Riverford Field Kitchen, https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/beetroot-and-pink-peppercorn-gratin
Featured in Guardian Food, 10 Best Beetroot Recipes https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/may/24/10-best-beetroot-recipes