Roasted Beetroot with Frozen Lemon Nut Butter and Ratatouille

180404 Roasted Beetroot Frozen Nut Butter Ratatouille-9612

Great and quite filling lunch or a good side dish to the BBQ. Remember to chop the veggies in very small cubes as this gives a much better and blended taste to the ratatouille! The Frozen Lemon Nut Butter needs to be made a day ahead (the almonds, thus, must be soaked for at least 12 hours before you start the nut butter recipe). This butter is great with many different dishes.

Serves 6

Frozen Lemon Nut Butter:
50 ml soaked, unpeeled almonds
100 ml water

100 ml olive oil
50 ml of the almond/water mix above
50 ml lemon juice
¼ tsp lemon zest
pinch of salt
Dash of chili flakes or ground black pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon on lecithin (to better emulsify)

1. Combine the almonds and water in a blender, run until a smooth paste.
2. Combine the olive oil, part of the almond/water mix, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and (if you want it spicier) a dash of chili flakes/ground black pepper and, to better stay blended, a pinch of lecithin. Process in blender until smooth.
3. Pour into small ice cube molds (or praline molds) of silicon. Freeze 12 hours (until solid).
4. Why not make your own flavor frozen nut butter with the remaining almond cream? If so, please post you result in the comment section of this recipe!

Roasted Beetroot:
1 large beetroot, peeled and sliced into 6 slices
Save the small end bits for the beetroot oil.
Olive oil and salt.
1. Roast the slices and end bits with some salt and olive oil in 215 C oven for 30-40 minutes

Beetroot oil:
1. Mix the end pieces with some oil in small blender (or handheld mixer). Strain if necessary.

Ratatouille:
2 aubergines (eggplant)
2 beetroot stalks
2 zucchini
1 small fennel bulb
Salt and pepper and lemon juice
Olive oil to fry in

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Chop the aubergines (eggplant), stalks, zucchinis and bulb into small cubes.
2. Fry a few minutes in a pan with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
3. Toast the seeds and add to ratatouille.

Decorate the plate with:
1. Paint the beetroot oil on the plate with a brush, add parsley and a few white and black sesame seeds
2. Make a circle with the ratatouille (large ring molds are very helpful here) and serve the frozen butter on top

Ratatouille

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A wonderful vegetable side dish or starter, the tiny cubes takes for a lot of chopping but allows for the rich flavours to release and mix, thus creating a delicious dish!!

2 zucchinis/courgettes (1 to be kept for decorations)
1 onion
1 aubergine
3-4 tomatoes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
4-5 tablespoons chopped parsley

Some chopped parsley to decorate and black pepper

1. Oven at 175 C
2. Cut one zucchini and one aubergine, first in 5 mm slices then lengthwise and across to create 5 mm cubes.
3. Cut the tomato into wedges, cut out the seeds and discard. Then cut the tomato flesh into fine cubes.
4. Chop the onion finely.
5. Mix the vegetables with the oil, juice and spices.
6. Spread in wide oven proof dish.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring 3-4 times during this time.
8. Slice the remaining zucchini into very thin slices using a vegetable slicer, if you have. Also, a cheese slicer can be used (or a knife, but that is a bit harder) to create a long zucchini ribbon.
9. After the 25 minutes of baking, add the zucchini ribbons on top (see photo) and bake another 10 minutes.
10. To serve: press into ring molds, drizzle with oil and chopped parsley.

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