Beetroot and spinach gratin

This side dish is a deliciously different way to use beetroot and in-season spinach.

SERVES 8

PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes

COOKING TIME about 1 hour

Butter, to grease 600ml double cream 150ml vegetable stock 3 garlic cloves, crushed Generous grating of nutmeg

100g pecorino, finely grated

200g bag spinach leaves 750g raw beetroot

1 Grease a large ovenproof baking dish. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4.

2 Heat the cream, vegetable stock, garlic, grated nutmeg and half the pecorino in a pan; bring to a simmer and reduce by about a third. Remove from the heat, add the spinach and season with freshly ground black pepper.

3 Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the beetroot to about 5mm thick. Spread half the beetroot slices over the base of the dish and pour over half the cream mixture, then repeat with the remaining beetroot and cream. Bake for 45min, scatter over the remaining cheese and return to the oven for 10-15min until golden and bubbling.

Earthy beetroot baked with spinach and cheese is a colourful seasonal side