Sweet potato, beetroot and fig with roast feta and balsamic reduction
This dish is easy, quick and makes you look like a pro. The fact that everything can be assembled in advance means this makes an easy starter for a dinner party or a cold for a really good lunch if you’re in a rush. October and the autumn means ‘tis the season for sweet potato, beetroots and figs so enjoy while they’re abundant and cheap! I’ll have beetroot with pretty much anything and everything. I will sit and eat the crinkle cut stuff that comes in industrial sized jars until I start to sweat pink, but nothing ever really comes close to the taste of fresh beetroot. The name of this dish sounds like a lot of ingredients, but it’s really just a posh salad. I like to cut up the feta in a big triangle or a leave in a large block when serving. It tends to tie the whole dish together. This makes for a lovely meat-free starter or add more vegetables for a lighter main course. But if you’re feeling flush, add some prosciutto or parma ham.
Serves 2
2 cooked beetroot cut into wedges – 40p
1 large sweet potato, peeled, sliced and then halved to half moon shapes- 40p
2/3rds of a packet of feta, cut into 2 large blocks. You can choose whatever shape you so desire. £1.50
2 figs cut into wedges – 50p
Bag of salad leaves- £1
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar – negligible
1tbsp honey – negligible
Total: £3.80
- Preheat the oven to 220c.
- Place sweet potato in a roasting tray with a drizzle of oil. Season and roast for 15 minutes.
- Add the beetroot to the roasting tray and toss in oil- mix with sweet potato chunks. Scatter figs into mix then place the blocks of feta on top and roast for a further 10- 15 minutes until beetroot starts to crisp at the edges and the feta starts to brown at the edges.
- In a small saucepan, add the vinegar and the honey and simmer until syrupy. Should only take about 5 minutes. Keep stirring and don’t let the mixture burn. Burnt balsamic fumes will sting your eyes and leave an unholy mess at the bottom of your pan.
- Arrange salad leaves on plate and scatter the vegetables.
- Place feta on top and drizzle the balsamic dressing over. Season and serve.
