Roasted beetroot is sweet and juicy and has a deep, red colour. This spread can be made with cooked beetroot too, but the end product is looser and not as flavoursome. Roasting takes time, but is worth every minute. (And you can go off and do something else while the beetroot sits in the oven.)
Author: Edinburgh Foody
Recipe type: Starter/dip
Cuisine: Scottish
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 medium raw beetroots
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
2 tsp soy sauce
60 grms pinenuts
30 grms soft cheese (If you bought a large tub of Philadelphia, there will be enough left from the above recipe to also work for this one.)
30 grms grated Parmesan cheese (I used an extra matured Cheddar because I couldn't find a vegetarian 'Italian-style hard cheese'.)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C (gas mark 4).
Place the cleaned beetroot on a piece of foil, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.
Wrap the foil to make a parcel and roast in the oven for 1.5 hours or until cooked (a skewer should go through it without much resistance).
Remove the beetroot from the oven and let it cool.
Peel, roughly chop and place in a food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients and process to a smooth spread.
Season to taste.
Serve about a tablespoon of spread on an oatcake. If you want to decorate, add a couple of pine nuts or a grating of cheese. The sharp flavour and crunch of a cornichon works very nicely with this spread too.
Recipe by Edinburgh Foody at http://www.edinburghfoody.com/2013/12/20/easy-snack-or-elegant-pate-both-toppings-for-nairns-oatcakes/