Ingredients
8 beetroot, peeled and cut into quarters
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sprig of thyme, leaves picked, plus an extra 1 tsp leaves for the pine nut dressing
3 garlic cloves, bashed
4 figs, halved or quartered
100g / 3.5 oz semi-hard goats cheese
For the pine nut dressing
50g / 1.8 oz pine nuts
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/ gas 6. Line a roasting tin with a large sheet of foil then toss in the beets, olive oil, thyme and garlic. Season generously. Wrap the beetroots into a parcel with the foil. Bake for 45 minutes until the beets are tender.
- Toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan until golden, being careful not to let them burn.
- Place the pine nuts in a pestle and mortar with the vinegar, oil and honey and the extra 1 tsp of thyme leaves. Season with salt and bash gently with the pestle so that the dressing becomes emulsified; you want some pine nuts to remain whole and some to be completely mashed into the oil. Once the beetroots are cooked you can stir in the flesh of the roasted garlic too.
- Arrange the roasted beetroot carefully on the platter with the figs and spoon on the pine nut dressing.
- Shave on the goat cheese and serve with extra thyme leaves. Make sure there’s some bread handy to mop up extra dressing.
