Roast beetroot with pickled mustard seeds & smoked yogurt

Name: Roast beetroot with pickled mustard seeds & smoked yogurt
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 kg raw beetroot; 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds; 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp caster sugar

This recipe from Diana Henry is a little unusual – all you need is a wok, a rack and some rice, tea leaves and ice.

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VegetarianHealthyHigh in folic acid1 of your 5 a day

Serves6
CourseStarter
Prepare30 mins
Cook1 hr
Total time1 hr 30 mins

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Ingredients

1kg raw beetroot
2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar

For the smoked yogurt

100g white rice, any type
100g black tea leaves
20 ice cubes
400g strained Greek yogurt

For the dressing

1 tsp Dijon mustard (or wholegrain if Dijon is unavailable)
1 tsp clear honey
1½ tbsp white balsamic vinegar
½ medium-sized red chilli, deseeded and cut into fine strips
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Wash the beets (if they have any leaves, remove them and if they look perky enough to serve with the finished dish, hold onto them). Put a double layer of foil in a roasting tin. This will be made into a parcel around the beets. Put the beets on the foil, pull the foil up around them, then add 50ml water and seal the parcel, leaving some room around the beets. Roast for 45 minutes-1 hour, until tender. How long it takes depends on the size of the beets – some large ones take over an hour. Test for doneness with the point of a knife – it should go in and out with no resistance. Set aside to cool and, when just about cool enough to handle, remove the skins (they slip off easily).
To make the smoked yogurt, line a wok with 4 layers of foil, turning the foil down over the sides of the pan all the way round. Put the rice and tea into the bottom of the wok. Put a metal grid into the wok. Or if you don’t have one, use 8 wooden skewers (soaked in cold water for 30 minutes) and fit them into the pan in a grid, ready to take the weight of the yogurt.
You need two shallow bowls, one that will fit inside the other one. Put the ice in the larger bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the other one. Set the yogurt bowl into the ice bowl, pushing it down into the ice; set aside. Put the wok over a medium heat, cover with a lid and wait until you can smell smoke (and see it, if you quickly peek inside). Put the ice and yogurt bowls onto the grid, put the lid back on and pull the overhanging foil up over the edge to secure the lid in place. Smoke for 15 minutes. The ice should last for 15 minutes. The yogurt will be lightly smoked and should still be cold. Stir the yogurt and add salt to taste.
To make the dressing, mix together the mustard, honey, vinegar, chilli and some seasoning in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil using a fork. Taste for seasoning.
Put the mustard seeds, vinegar, sugar, 75ml water and a pinch of salt into a small saucepan. Cook over a medium heat, until the seeds are soft and nearly all the liq
Slice the beets into rounds or wedges. Pour over the dressing and season. Divide between 6 plates or put the slices on a platter. Spoon the mustard seeds over the beets and add some of the smoked yogurt. Serve with slices of good sourdough or rye bread.