Entrée for 4
Baked beetroot
2 medium sized beetroot washed and wrapped in foil and baked at 180 C until tender, peel after cooking and slice into cross section rounds. Set aside in a warm spot. Depending on the beetroot cooking times can vary from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, when a sharp knife or a skewer easily insert, the beetroot is done. Slice into 3mm cross section slices.
Beetroot Salad
– 1 medium beetroot peeled and grated
– 1 medium carrot, grated
– ½ bunch of chives, chopped into 3cm pieces
– 1/3 cup picked dill
– Lemon juice to taste
Combine all ingredients and season with lemon juice and sea salt if desired.
Lentil Caviar
– 1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
– 2 Tablespoons first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
– 1 clove garlic
– ¼ cup Mount Zero French green lentils
– 400 ml chicken stock
– Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Sauté onion in olive oil until tender and golden, add garlic and sauté a further 4 minutes.
Add lentils and chicken stock and simmer until lentils are tender, season to taste.
If the liquid has evaporated and the lentils still need more cooking just add ¼ cup of water at a time until the lentils are tender.
Babaganoush
– 1 large firm, fresh, blemish free, shiny eggplant
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– Juice of 1 lemon
– ½ cup unhulled, tahini
– ½ tsp ground cumin
– ½ tsp ground coriander seed
– Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
Smoke eggplant over an open flame or on the barbeque.
Once eggplant is fully charred and the inside of the flesh is soft and tender, carefully peel charred skinned, removing every trace of skin. Allow flesh to drain in a colander. Set aside.
Process tahini in a food processor with garlic, 2 tbsp of hot water, lemon juice and about 1 tsp of salt.
Once combined thoroughly add flesh from eggplant and pulse until combined. Season to taste.
Pomegranate Molasses to garnish
Meredith marinated goats cheese feta or Persian feta
To assemble
Place babaganoush on plate and spread in a circle
Layer slices of baked beetroot on babaganoush
layer lentil caviar on beetroot
place salad on caviar
crumble feta on the salad and garnish with pomegranate molasses
