This recipe from Little Poms is made with a kaleidoscope of vegetables from Cultivate Christchurch’s gardens. cultivate.org.nz

Recipe supplied by: Little Poms Photos: Jane Ussher

INGREDIENTS
For the pickled beetroot:
250ml water
125ml rice vinegar
100g sugar
13g salt
3 large beetroot

For the goat’s cheese cream:
60ml milk
60ml cream
Zest from ½ lemon
300g fresh goat’s cheese, at room temperature

For the roasted carrots:
500g-600g baby carrots (we use organic purple, white and orange carrots)
2 teaspoon fresh
Thyme leaves
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground
White pepper

For the olive oil vinaigrette:
60ml wine vinegar
(chardonnay if avaliable)
150ml extra virgin Olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt to taste

Garnish:
2 chioggia baby beets, 2-3 radishes, 1 fennel bulb (all very finely sliced on a mandolin)

METHOD
Prepare pickled beetroot a day in advance. This makes more than you’ll need but it lasts for weeks in the fridge. Cook the beets in boiling water, drain in a colander and let rest for 10 mins. Peel while still hot, using gloves – the skin should just slide off.

Once cooled, dice or slice and place in a non-reactive bowl. Set aside. Meanwhile, simmer water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pot until liquid is dissolved. Cool then pour over the beetroot. Refrigerate and leave for at least a day before using.

For the goat’s cheese cream, heat the milk, cream and lemon zest and pour over the cheese. Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth (thin with more milk if necessary) then refrigerate. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Toss the carrots with thyme leaves, a good sprinkling of salt and pepper and a generous glug of olive oil.

Lay out in a shallow roasting pan and cook until soft and browned. Allow to cool. To make the vinaigrette, mix all ingredients together.To assemble, swipe a good spoonful of goat’s cheese cream on a plate, add the roast carrots and pickled beets. Dress the shaved chioggia beetroot, radish and fennel with the vinaigrette, season to taste, then arrange on the plate as you wish. Serves 6.

 

This is an extract from the 2018 edition of the Insider’s Guide to New Zealand. It’s in stores now, or online here.