Beetroot in cream

Although the sauce rarely thickens, this is a wonderfully creamy dish to eat with roast beef or game. It would be very especially suitable for roast pigeon, the sweet cream in contrast to the gamey notes of the meat.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as an accompaniment

750g large beetroot
A medium onion
50g butter
250ml double cream
50ml full cream milk
A teaspoon of caraway (optional)

Details

Achieving the perfect results

1. Clean the beetroot, but make certain not to cut the skin (otherwise it will bleed as it boils).
2. Bring a large, deep pan of water to the boil then add the beetroot. Partially cover with a lid and leave to simmer for a good 50 minutes until the beets are tender to the point of a knife. Set the oven at 160˚C/Gas 3.
3. Peel the onion, then slice into rounds and fry gently in the butter till soft but not coloured. They should be sweet and slightly sticky. Add the caraway seed (optional).
4. Peel the beetroot, the skin will slide off easily between your fingers and thumb. Slice thinly, about as thick as pound coins, then layer them with the softened onion in a shallow dish.
5. Mix the cream and milk, season with salt and black pepper and caraway if you are using it and pour over the beetroot.
6. Bake for just over an hour, until the beetroot is thoroughly tender and the cream is bubbling around the edges.