January 15th 2025.
For this month's special food feature, Rosie Morton had the pleasure of sitting down with the renowned Edinburgh chef, Roberta Hall-McCarron. As the winner of the 2021 season of The Great British Menu with her amazing fish dish, Roberta is no stranger to creating delicious and innovative dishes that leave our taste buds in awe.
For Roberta, inspiration is all around her. From the breathtaking sight of snowdrops pushing through the ground, to the vibrant colors and sounds of summer, and the warm golden light of autumn, she draws on the beauty of nature to create her culinary masterpieces. Her new cookbook, The Changing Tides, is a reflection of this, showcasing the natural beauty of each month and the delectable flavors that come with it.
Roberta was kind enough to share some of her favorite recipes from the book with us, including her mouthwatering smoked duck and beetroot salad. The combination of smoky duck, sweet beets, and tangy dressing is simply irresistible.
To make this delicious salad, you'll need 200g of golden beetroot, 200g of red beetroot, 100ml of pickle liquor, 2 smoked duck breasts, 100g of mixed baby leaves, and some sea salt. For the dressing, you'll need the juice of 1 orange, 1 tbsp of cold-pressed rapeseed oil, 1 tsp of red wine vinegar, and a pinch of fine salt. Credit for this recipe goes to the talented Rebecca Dickson.
To start, preheat your oven to 175°C fan. Then, wrap one golden and one red beetroot in tin foil and bake for about an hour. The size of the beetroots will determine the cooking time, so you can check if they're done by inserting a skewer into them. If there's any resistance, they need a bit more time. Once they're cooked, let them cool down and then gently rub off the skin. Cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Peel and thinly slice the remaining beetroots and place them in a bowl. Heat up the pickle liquor and pour it over the beetroots, letting it cool to room temperature. In the meantime, make the dressing by whisking together the orange juice, rapeseed oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
In a cold pan, place the smoked duck breasts skin-side down and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then, flip them over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Once done, remove them from the pan and let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
To assemble the salad, dress the baby leaves with a pinch of sea salt and the orange dressing. Then, add the cooked beetroot, sliced smoked duck, pickled beetroot, and baby leaves to your plate. The combination of flavors and textures is simply divine!
If you want to try more of Roberta's amazing recipes, be sure to grab a copy of her cookbook, The Changing Tides, for only £25. And for more mouthwatering recipes, don't forget to check out our Recipes section. To stay updated on the latest issues of Scottish Field, be sure to subscribe now. Happy cooking!
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
