Ingredients

Method

• 4 large beetroots
• 120 g brown sugar
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, plus extra for drizzling
• Maldon sea salt or ground rock salt, to taste
• 1 T olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 Medium-sized onions, peeled and sliced
• 1 T thyme, chopped
• 1 T butter
• 5 T honey
• 200 g puff pastry
• 200 g goat’s-milk feta, crumbled
• 2 T chives, chopped
• 20 g mixed baby leaves
• 20 g wild rocket

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Using a potato peeler, peel the beetroots, then place in a small saucepan and just cover with water.

Place over a medium heat. Add 4 T brown sugar, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt.

To a hot pan, add 1 T oil, plus the sliced onion and the thyme, and cook until the onion is golden brown. Add the butter, reduce the heat and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes.

When the beetroots are cooked, remove from the saucepan (reserve the cooking liquid) and slice into 1/2-cm thick slices. Return the cooking liquid to the stove, add the remaining sugar and balsamic vinegar, and the honey, and reduce to a syrup.

Using a rolling pin and pastry cutter, cut 4 rounds from the pastry, each 6 cm in diameter and 4 mm thick. Place the pastry discs on a baking tray, cover with another baking tray (to prevent the pastry from rising) and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

To the goat’s-milk feta add the chive and a pinch of salt, and mix.

To assemble, plate the pastry discs, top with the caramelised onion and arrange the beetroot in fan-like patterns on top. Top with the crumbled thyme cheese and place under a grill for 15 seconds, to warm.

Dress the salad leaves and rocket with olive oil, the remaining syrup and a further pinch of salt, and heap on top of the cheese.

Serve immediately.