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Baked Beetroot with Homemade Curds and Toasted Sunflower See – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

Baked Beetroot with Homemade Curds and Toasted Sunflower Seeds

A beautiful, rustic salad featuring fresh homemade curds paired with earthy, sweet roasted beetroot and the crunchy bite of toasted sunflower seeds. A simple kitchen science experiment that yields incredibly fresh, delicious results.
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Prep Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 4 serving
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 6 golfball-sized beetroots
  • 400 ml (13.5 fl oz) / 1 ¾ cups whole milk
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 20 g (0.71 oz) / 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 40 g (1.41 oz) / 2 ½ tbsp vegetarian rennet
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 50 g (1.76 oz) / ⅓ cup toasted sunflower seeds
  • For a delicious variation, infuse the milk with a crushed garlic clove while it heats. Remember to remove the clove before adding the rennet.
  • Vegetarian rennet strength varies by brand. Always check the package for the correct milk-to-rennet ratio, as you may need more or less than stated here.
  • For the creamiest curds, use the freshest, best-quality whole milk you can find. Avoid UHT or ultra-pasteurized milk, as it can be difficult to set.

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) / fan 180°C (350°F) / gas mark 6. 2. Tightly wrap each beetroot in foil, place them on a baking tray, and bake for 50 minutes, turning halfway through. They are ready when a knife pierces them with no resistance. 3.
  2. While the beetroots bake, make the curds.
  3. In a saucepan, gently heat the milk, lemon juice, and salt to 40°C (105°F). Use a thermometer for accuracy; it should feel like blood temperature. If the milk gets too hot, the curds will not form properly. 4.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the rennet, stirring in one direction only.
  5. Let the mixture rest undisturbed for 30 minutes. It will begin to look separated and scrambled—this is exactly what you want! 5.
  6. Line a sieve with a muslin cloth or a clean tea towel and set it over a large bowl. Carefully pour the curd mixture into the cloth and let it drain for 20 minutes. 6.
  7. Transfer the fresh curds from the cloth to a container. Save the liquid whey in the bowl for another use (it's great in smoothies or for baking bread). 7.
  8. Once the beetroots are cool enough to handle, peel and slice them into wedges. Be sure to wear gloves to avoid stained hands. 8. To serve, arrange the beetroot wedges in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, then add generous spoonfuls of the fresh curds and a sprinkle of toasted sunflower seeds.
  9. Don't discard the whey! This nutrient-rich liquid is a fantastic, tangy addition to smoothies, soups, or can be used in place of water when baking bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 12gFat: 18g

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