It’s been a few days since I did a post. It is not that we haven’t been doing any cooking; it is just that we have tried a few ho hum recipes. But, at last, a jackpot.
This recipe is from the book Your Place or Mine by Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris. The recipe is by George.
When the book first came out, I was flicking through it in a bookshop and this recipe jumped out at me. I mentioned to Maus that if she ever saw the book reduced, buy it. I didn’t want to pay top dollar for one recipe. I think it retailed for $49.95 when first released. She saw it a few times for $29.99 but I wanted to pay less than that so we didn’t buy it.
Then one day, I was in our local Post Office. I saw this book and Gary Mehigan’s Comfort Food on sale for $7.00 each!! I couldn’t believe it. I bought them. I could now try the recipe that caught my eye so long ago.
Ingredients:
- 500g beetroot (tops removed)
- 50mls olive oil
- a few sprigs of thyme, chopped
- salt
- 200g feta
- baguette or ciabatta, to serve.
- Preheat your oven to 170°C.
- Wash the beetroot (give them a bit of a scrub) and then put them in a baking dish.
- Drizzle the beetroot with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and chopped thyme.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with a lid or aluminium foil.
- Bake the beetroot until a skewer will go through them easily – about 1½ hours.
- Peel beetroot and roughly chop.
- Put beetroot into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
- Put beetroot into a muslin or cotton bag and hang over a bowl for, at least, 2 hours to collect the juice. I let it drain, overnight, in the fridge.
- Process the feta in a food processor until smooth.
- Add the beetroot puree and process until smooth and well combined.
I used Greek (Dodoni) feta but if you are worried that your processor will not be able to make it smooth, use Danish feta as it has a much smoother texture to start with.
I have put the left-over beetroot juice in the freezer. The colour was absolutely beautiful. I am sure there is something I can do with it… pink pasta? If anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear from you.
I served the dip with finely sliced ciabatta which I dry baked in the oven to make crisps. You could do the same with any bread.
Passion Fruit Garden 
I just googled this recipe as I also own this book but it was currently out of reach. This led me to your blog which I think is fantastic!
Anyhow, I have made this recipe a couple of times over the years when the beetroots are plump but it never looks quite as smooth and glossy as Gary’s!
Hi Thanks for visiting. I have a Vitamix which is really powerful so mine is nice and smooth too. I love this recipe.
Thanks Glenda will look up for blackcurrants on Subi Markets tomorrow. :):)
Hi Regina That would be great, if they are fresh you would have to freeze them as we are not back for one week. We need 400g.
That is amazing you made your own powder!!! well well I thought I was the Queen of making everything myself from scratch. I will step aside. Roz
Hello Glenda, in Sydney recently I bought beet root (natural colour) powder at Herbies, could also be handy for this dish to skip a step. I bought it to naturally colour tandoori dishes. Roz
Hi Roz
Years ago I wanted some beetroot powder for the exact same purpose. I couldn’t find any in Perth so I dried sliced beetroot and then made my own powder. So much easier to go to Herbies:) If the beetroot powder is made from baked beetroot it may just work. I wonder how much powder you would need.
Time to come to Perth Glenda and make something nice for me :):)
Hi Regina
We will be back next Wednesday or Thursday and I will most certainly make something nice for you:)
Thank you Glenda, looking forward in seeing my babies again….and of course you and Maureen xx
Hi Regina. Come over for dinner when we get back. I have a recipe in mind for the pork fillets. I need black currants but we are having trouble finding them.
I can’t believe you are soooo tinny when it comes to finding a bargain with your cookbooks like the ones you found in the newsagent at Bridgetown. The Post Office sells everything now. By the way I love beetroot dip very healthy.
Hi Gail
I have a radar for cookbooks on special
Wow, that book was a bargain! Lovely recipe, I’ve just noticed in the garden that all our beets are fattening up..thanks Glenda! (PS. Love to Maus too xx)
Hi Celia. This is a perferct recipe for your lovely beets. Maybe next year, I will grow some.