Viva Brighton Issue #69 November 2018

RECIPE
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Beetroot bourguignon
A cosy winter dish from the new
menu at The Better Half
I think vegetarian cuisine is the toughest
food business in Brighton at the moment.
I have a lot of experience – I used to work
at Food for Friends, and before that at
1847 – so I’m usually in charge of coming
up with the veggie options on our menu
at The Better Half. I’m not vegetarian
myself but I’ve learnt to be very creative
with my cooking. It’s difficult to be
different. The vegetarian restaurant scene
is very competitive and if you don’t keep
mixing things up, people get bored.
I’m originally from Hungary, and I get a
lot of inspiration from different cuisines
from different countries. I used to live in
Mexico and I had a small restaurant in a
brewery, where we served international,
beer-related food. For example, I made
pierogi from Poland, which went with
a Polish beer. I had a goulash from
Hungary, with a Hungarian beer. Fish and
chips from England with an English beer.
Our new menu at The Better Half has a
greater focus on food and drink pairings;
we already support local producers in the
kitchen, so it makes sense to be able to
recommend a local cider to go with your
locally sourced meat.
This is a simple dish but very tasty.
Basically, you slow-cook the beetroot,
vegetables and herbs in beetroot juice,
until the liquid reduces down to a rich
consommé. Then you spice it up with
some ingredients you might not expect…
It’s served with roasted vegetables, and a
sprinkling of locally made goat’s cheese.
To go with the bourguignon I’d
recommend a wintery red wine, maybe a
Malbec. I’m a big fan of Malbec though
so perhaps I’m biased, but it does go
especially well with goat’s cheese.
To make the base, chop some fresh
beetroot, carrots, celery and onion into
large cubes. Finely slice an onion and
a few cloves of garlic, and fry in a large
saucepan for a couple of minutes. Add
the chopped vegetables, and some fresh
rosemary and thyme. Semi-cover the
vegetables with beetroot juice and a glug
of red wine, then simmer the mixture over
a low heat until the juice reduces down to
a thicker consistency.
Roast a mixture of vegetables in the oven:
we use sliced portobello mushrooms, baby
potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash.
Cover them in a little oil and sprinkle
over some star anise and rosemary.
When the beetroot base and the roasted
vegetables are ready, remove a few basil
leaves from their stems and fry until
slightly crispy. Plate up the roasted
vegetables first, top with the beetroot
mixture and pour over some of the juices.
Sprinkle over the goat’s cheese, basil
leaves, and a small handful of chopped
raspberries. Enjoy! As told to Rebecca
Cunningham by Beata Koszta
The Better Half, 1 Hove Place
Now taking Christmas bookings – visit
thebetterhalfpub.co.uk / 01273 737869
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