Marco’s beetroot platter starter
Time: Approx. 40 mins
Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a side or starter
A decadent party pleaser
Source: Marco Pierre White
Image by Peter Cassidy
Ingredients
- 18 small beetroots
- 2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1tbsp extra for the port reduction
- 6 figs, halved lengthways
- 12 dates, stones removed
- 200ml ruby port
- 100g vegetarian goat’s cheese, broken into crumbs
- A small handful of walnuts, chopped
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- A small handful of micro parsley (or flat-leaf parsley, chopped)
Method
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the beetroots and cook for about 20 minutes. To see if they are done, insert a small knife into a beetroot – it should have just a little resistance. Drain, scrape away the skins and halve each beetroot.
Heat 2tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Lay the beetroot halves in the pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the figs and cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing in the dates in the last minute just to warm them through.
Meanwhile, place the port in a pan over a medium-high heat and cook until reduced to a thick syrup. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the 1tbsp of olive oil.
Arrange the beetroots, figs and dates on a platter. Scatter with the cheese and walnuts, season, then pour the port reduction over and sprinkle with parsley to serve.