Salt-Baked Beetroot with Whipped Ricotta and Walnut Praline

⏱ 90 min · Serves 4

Beetroots buried in a herby salt crust emerge sweet, earthy and impossibly tender — no bleeding, no boiling, just pure concentrated flavour. Piled onto clouds of lemony whipped ricotta and shattered walnut praline, it's the kind of starter that makes people stop talking mid-sentence.

Per serving: 475 kcal · 13.0g protein · 38.0g carbs · 31.0g fat

Ingredients

• 4 medium beetroots (about 700g), scrubbed, tops trimmed
• 800g coarse sea salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 250g whole-milk ricotta, drained
• 60g full-fat cream cheese or mascarpone
• Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tsp juice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
• 80g walnut halves
• 70g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• Pinch of flaky salt
• 1 tbsp aged balsamic or sherry vinegar
• Small handful of watercress or baby chard leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan. In a large bowl, mix the sea salt, egg whites, crushed fennel seeds and the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs until it feels like damp sand.
2. Spread a 1cm layer of the salt mixture in a small roasting tin. Sit the beetroots on top with the bay leaves and remaining thyme, then pack the rest of the salt firmly over and around them so they are completely sealed.
3. Bake for 60–75 minutes, until a skewer pushed through the crust slides into the centre of the largest beet with no resistance. Rest for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the praline. Line a tray with baking paper. Put the sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat and swirl (don't stir) until it turns a deep amber caramel, 5–7 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the walnuts and a pinch of flaky salt, then tip onto the paper and spread thin. Cool 15 minutes, then chop half finely and break the rest into shards.
5. Whip the ricotta, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a food processor (or beat hard by hand) for 1–2 minutes until glossy and smooth. Chill until needed.
6. Crack the salt crust with a rolling pin and lift the beetroots out, brushing off all the salt. Peel off the skins with a cloth or paring knife while still warm, then cut into thick wedges. Toss gently with the vinegar and a little olive oil.
7. Spread the whipped ricotta across four plates in a swoosh. Pile on the warm beetroot wedges, scatter with the fine praline crumbs and shards, add the watercress, then finish with olive oil and black pepper. Serve straight away.
8. Serve with warm sourdough to mop the plates.