Beets, black garlic, orange and hazelnut salad recipe

Summer beetroots, punchy garlic houmous, mixed leaves with candied orange and a sherry vinegar dressing, scattered with toasted hazelnuts. Find this dish on The Beach Hut menu, or follow the recipe below and make at home.

Serves four

Houmous Ingredients

400g can chickpeas, washed and drained
6 black garlic cloves - made into a paste by using the side of a chopping knife
50ml olive oil
2 tbsp tahini paste
Water
Salt to taste

Houmous Method

Place the drained chickpeas into a blender, add the black garlic paste and tahini.
Pulse until you have a smooth puree, add the olive oil and then water a bit at a time, until you have a thick creamy houmous. Check for seasoning.

Candied Orange Ingredients

4 small oranges (blood orange if available)
100ml water
100g castor sugar

Candied Orange Method

Peel the oranges with a peel and cut the zest into fine strips. Place into a small saucepan with the sugar and water. Place onto the heat and bring to a boil.
Simmer until the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup. Remove from the heat. Cutaway the remaining pith from the oranges and slice the oranges into four crossways.

Beetroot and orange salad at Watergate Bay

Beetroot Ingredients

1kg mixed heritage beets - washed and dried
50ml sunflower oil
25g thyme sprigs
250g mixed leaves
50ml olive oil
10ml sherry vinegar
50g of roasted hazelnuts
Sea salt

Method

Place the beets into a bowl and toss in the sunflower oil and season, with salt and thyme sprigs.
Place them into a roasting dish and cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven (180°C) for 20 minutes before checking by piercing with a small knife.
Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes and check again. Repeat until the beets are tender and the knife easily pierces the flesh all the way through (up to an hour).
When cooked, allow to cool for 20 minutes before peeling and rubbing away the outer skin.

To serve

Cut the beets into wedges and dress with olive oil, sherry vinegar and sea salt.
Divide the houmous over 4 plates and smear the base.
Arrange the beets and orange over the houmous and scatter with the mixed leaves.
Finish with the candied orange, zest and toasted hazelnuts.