Salt-baked beetroot with feta & pickled onions

• medium beetroot↗4 4

  (different types are fine), washed, the leaves trimmed for the salad

• rosemary↗6 6

  sprigs

• salt↗150g 150 g
• plain flour↗500g 500 g
• large egg whites↗2 2
• cider vinegar↗140ml 140 ml
• demerara sugar↗65g 65 g
• mustard seeds½ tsp ½ tsp
• dill↗1 1

  sprig

• onions↗2 2

  sliced into 5mm rings, tossed in a bowl with a pinch of salt to break them down

• extra virgin rapeseed oil↗3 tbsp 3 tbsp

  plus extra for drizzling

• lemon juice↗1 tbsp 1 tbsp
• snipped chives1 tbsp 1 tbsp
• Granny Smith↗1 1

  apple, diced

• toasted hazelnuts↗30g 30 g

  chopped

• feta↗120g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   First, make the salt crust. Blitz the rosemary and salt in a food processor, then add the flour and egg whites with 200ml water. Blitz again to bring together. Tip the mixture onto a clean surface and knead for 5 mins to form a smooth ball, then wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hr.

2. 2

   Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Roll the dough out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Put the beetroots in the middle and draw the edges up to form a bag. Bake on a tray for 2 1/2 hrs

3. 3

   Meanwhile, make the pickling liquor for the onions. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds and 1 tsp salt over a medium heat, and bring to the boil. Add the dill and leave to cool for 30 mins. Strain the mixture onto the onions, and leave for a further 1 hr, then drain. In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients with some seasoning and set aside.

4. 4

   Remove the beetroots from the oven and leave in the salt crust until cool enough to handle. Open the salt crust with your hands and discard. Peel the beetroot, cut into wedges and drizzle with a little rapeseed oil.

5. 5

   Mix the beetroots, onions and beetroot leaves in a large mixing bowl, then add the dressing. Reserving a little of each for decoration, add the chives, apple and hazelnuts, toss well, then tip into a large serving bowl. Crumble the feta over the top with the reserved ingredients, then let everyone help themselves. Best served slightly warm.