Kitchen garden cook

Melanie Johnson makes beetroot meringue kisses

Beetroot meringue kisses

(below) Use an electric mixer to whisk 2 egg whites into stiff peaks, then add 125g of caster sugar and continue whisking until glossy. In a blender, blitz 75g of cooked beetroots with a splash of water until smooth. While whisking, add the beetroots, a teaspoon at a time, to the egg whites until the mixture is bright pink. Pipe the meringue in even-sized circles onto a silicone mat and bake for 3 hours at a really low heat, then remove from the oven and cool. Whip cream cheese together with garlic and herbs, then pipe a small amount onto a meringue, topping with a pea shoot and a second meringue for the perfect little pre-dinner bite.

Beetroot salad with lentils, spring vegetables and

burrata Cook 250g of beetroots as per the main recipe, with red onions and balsamic vinegar, then cool to room temperature. Slice into smaller pieces and, in a bowl, mix together with a couple of handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves, basil, a sachet of microwaveable puy lentils (or a healthy grain), steamed asparagus, slices of heirloom tomato and burrata. Season well, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve.

Beetroot-cured salmon

Grate 3 beetroots into a bowl with the zest of 1 lemon. Add 100g each of sea salt and caster sugar and mix well. Cover a large dish with a few layers of clingfilm, then sprinkle with half of the beetroot mixture. Place a large salmon fillet on top and finish with the remaining beetroots. Wrap the clingfilm around the salmon to enclose it fully and refrigerate for 3 days to cure. Wash the salt off, dry well and serve with horseradish, pea shoots and brown bread.