Serves: 4-6 - Time:
If you haven’t already got a mandoline I urge you to buy one. It doesn’t need to be expensive- the one I have costs about £30 and I have had it about 20 years. This is the link should you wish to purchase it.
It is the quickest way to get perfect julienne strips and is very easy to use (Health and Safety Alert: ALWAYS use the guard). I prefer to prepare the beetroot in this way rather than in fine slices as the strips cook more evenly. You can leave out the goat’s cheese and serve the gratin plain. It will be still be delicious.
Ingredients
- 680g trimmed beetroot, washed
- 250ml double cream
- 300g half fat crème fraiche
- 3 small garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- Maldon sea salt
- 1 Chabichou goat’s cheese (optional), sliced
Method
- Heat the oven to 150˚c fan oven 130˚c, mark 3. Peel the beetroot and, with the julienne blade fitted on the mandoline, slice the beetroot into julienne strips. Put the thin slices in an ovenproof dish.
- Pour the cream and crème fraiche into a saucepan and add the garlic and rosemary. Season with the Maldon salt (about 1 teaspoon) and lots of ground black pepper. Bring to the boil then pour over the beetroot. Cook in the oven for 1 ¼ hours.
- Arrange the sliced goat’s cheese on top and continue to cook in the oven for a further 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
