Beetroot & feta cheese tarts with tahini-dressed leaves

The recipe by the Chef at COCOMO Cocktail Bar & Restaurant

Ingredients

• 4 beetroots (about 750g), roughly the same size, scrubbed and trimmed but not peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 4 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp
• 2 tsp coriander seeds & 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 onions, peeled, halved and finely sliced
• 320g pack rolled all-butter puff pastry
• 1 tbsp harissa
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp nigella seeds
• 100g block vegetarian feta cheese, crumbled

For the dressed leaves

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp tahini
• juice 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 3 red chicory, sliced
• 100g bag watercress

Preparation method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Rub the beetroots and garlic cloves with 2 tsp olive oil. Wrap in a double layer of foil, adding 3tbsp water into the package. Place in an ovenproof dish and bake for 2 hrs or until soft and tender. When the beetroot is cool enough to handle, gently rub off the skins. Set aside, saving the garlic cloves.
2. Heat a small frying pan and dry toast the coriander seeds until you can smell the aroma, then grind using a pestle and mortar. Toast the cumin seeds, leave them whole and mix in with the coriander.
3. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions, toasted spices and cook gently for 30 mins or until the onions are soft and golden season to taste.
4. Unroll the pastry and cut out 4 large circles using a 12cm cookie cutter (or use a small sharp knife to score round a bowl
   or plate). Place the pastry circles on a baking sheet, lined with baking paper or grease proof paper. Gently score a 1cm
   border around each and prick the centre area with a fork. Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins. Meanwhile, mix the harissa,
   vinegar and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl and thinly slice the beetroot. Remove the pastry bases from the oven
   and carefully press down the middle areas with the back of a spoon to flatten.
5. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and stir into the onions. Spread this mixture evenly into the tarts, now layer on the beetroot slices in a circular pattern, slightly overlapping them. Brush the harissa mix onto the beetroot, now brush the egg on the border and sprinkle with the nigella seeds. Bake in the oven for a further 12-15 mins until the pastry is cooked and golden.
6. To make the salad, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, honey, seasoning and 1 tbsp water. Toss the chicory and watercress in the dressing. Remove the tart from the oven, scatter over the feta and serve alongside the dressed leaves

Kokomo Cocktail Bar & Restaurant
Avenida Pernet, Urb. Atalaya Golf, TnzFRV1LwIo
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