Beetroot ceviche

If you’re trying to eat less fish, why not try this beetroot ceviche?

Ingredients: (Serves 6 as a starter)

4 medium beetroot

2.5tbsp olive oil

30g sunflower seeds

1 avocado

1.5tbsp lime juice

2tbsp chopped coriander stalks plus small handful of roughly chopped coriander leaves

3 radishes

2 spring onions, finely chopped Small handful of roughly chopped tarragon leaves

Fine sea salt

Cress or pea shoots, to garnish (optional)

For the dressing:

1 Scotch bonnet chilli (or a bird’s eye) 1 small garlic clove, unpeeled

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1tsp caster sugar

2tbsp lime juice

7tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 orange (blood or otherwise)

Salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400F/gas 6.

2. Rub the beetroot with one tablespoon of the olive oil, followed by a little fine sea salt, pop into a baking tin and cover with foil. Roast for one hour or until tender when pierced with a knife.

3. Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry frying pan (skillet) until golden. Remove and set aside. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, put the chilli and garlic in the dry frying pan over a medium-high heat and toast on both sides until blackened all over, about five to seven minutes. Toast the cumin seeds for 30 seconds in the same pan.

4. De-seed the chilli, cut into quarters and peel the garlic. Pound a quarter of the chilli to a paste in a pestle with the garlic and several pinches of salt, the cumin and the sugar. Work in the lime juice and finally pour in the olive oil and orange juice and stir to combine.

5. Blitz the avocado with the lime juice, one-and-a-half tablespoons of water and the remaining oil. Add the coriander stalks and two to three large pinches of salt and blitz again to a smooth, thick cream.

6. When the beetroot is cooked, allow to cool for five minutes, then pop on a pair of washing-up gloves and rub away the beetroots’ skin. Slice into rounds about 3mm, preferably with a mandolin. Arrange them in overlapping circles on a large serving plate and dress with the dressing while still warm.

7. Slice the radishes to paper-thin discs (use the mandolin if you have it). Scatter over the spring onions, coriander and tarragon leaves and the seeds and dot with the avocado cream. Serve at once with the cress or pea shoots.