This gratin is fabulous when made in advance and reheated, so it's a good recipe to make on the weekend for an easy side during the week.
Ingredients
By using grated fresh beetroot instead of sliced, this ruby beauty with leeks and fennel is easily ready in half an hour and works beautifully with hazelnuts and goat's cheese. It's rich and comforting.
Serves 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
- 2 large leeks, finely sliced
- 2 bulbs of fennel, finely sliced
- 300g raw beetroot, grated (about 4)
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
- 500g crème fraiche
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 200g goat’s cheese, sliced or crumbled
- 40g panko breadcrumbs
- 50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ a lemon, juice only
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C fan/220˚C/gas 7.
- Pop the sliced leeks and fennel into a large bowl and pour over a kettleful of boiling water. Leave to sit for 2 minutes then drain and tip into a large roasting tin.
- Stir through the beetroot, rosemary, crème fraiche and salt.Scatter over some freshly ground black pepper, then top with the goat's cheese, breadcrumbs and hazelnuts.
- Drizzle with the olive oil then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.The gratin will look alarmingly soupy when you take it out of the oven but don't panic.
- Leave it to sit for 10 minutes and it’ll settle down, then serve hot with a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Recipe courtesy of Belling Ireland.
