By Gregor Law
OK, first off, you will need a mandolin for this as the kohlrabi really needs to be paper-thin. Too thick and it loses its delicate raw appeal – too few neat circles and it looks untidy. This is a slightly chefy dish, but it does deliver flavour and style as a perfect formal first course or summer lunch in the garden with a glass of chilled white wine. In particular, the dark sweet flavour of the roasted beetroot contrasting with the bright raw earthiness of the kohlrabi is delicious, and the fried capers are a little addictive too.
Cooking for the Senses, Jennifer Peace Rhind and Gregor Law, presents an new way of looking at food and flavour. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Cooking for the Senses is on sale now for £25.
To purchase Supernature White Truffle Rapeseed Oil, visit www.supernature.uk.com. For more information, please see www.scotrapeseedoil.co.uk.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and dried
Olive oil
1 medium raw beetroot, trimmed but not peeled
Sea salt
1 small raw kohlrabi, trimmed and peeled
1 tbsp Supernature White Truffle Rapeseed Oil
1 tbsp dill, roughly chopped
A squeeze of lemon juice
METHOD
1 Fry off the capers in a little olive oil in a pan for about 3–4 minutes until crisp and slightly puffed up. Set aside to cool.
2 Trim the beetroot of stalks and root. Wash and coat with a little olive oil and a pinch of sea salt before roasting in a hot oven at at 200°C (400°F) for about an hour until the beetroot is only just tender in the middle. Set aside to cool completely.
3 Using a mandolin, slice the kohlrabi into fine paper-thin slices and set aside.
4 Once the beetroot has cooled, peel the skin off, leaving the beetroot as ‘barrel-shaped’ as you can – it will look less edgy in the final dish.
5 Very carefully, slice the beetroot on the mandolin or with a sharp knife to achieve thin discs, but not as paper-thin as the kohlrabi. Layer the beetroot discs around the outside of your serving plate, followed by the kohlrabi discs in the centre. Wash your hands between discs or you will stain the kohlrabi.
6 Drizzle with Supernature White Truffle Rapeseed Oil and scatter with the fried capers and fresh dill.
7 Just before serving, squeeze a little lemon juice over the dish.
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