smoked salmon with beetroot and horseradish cream.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Smoked salmon (as much as required)

1 fresh candy beetroot (for the striped effect - if you can find it. Otherwise plain beetroot will do)

300ml beetroot juice

1 fresh beetroot

20ml cider vinegar

100ml double cream

20g horseradish (jar or fresh)

Watercress leaves for garnish

1 star anise

3 gelatine leaves

30g sugar

Salt and pepper

Method

Start by pickling the beetroot. Thinly slice and place it in a saucepan with the sugar, star anise, cider vinegar, salt and pepper and bring to the boil until the beetroot is tender. Remove and sieve and retain the juice.

For the jelly: soak the gelatine leaves in cold water. Measure 200g of the beetroot juice into a saucepan and add the soaked gelatine leaves and bring to the boil. When it thickens, pour it into a small container and leave in the fridge to set.

Reduce the rest of the juice by half in a saucepan, with a little extra sugar to taste and then leave to cool for dotting on the finished plates.

For the candy beetroot peel and thinly slice for a delicious crunch to the starter.

Whip the double cream, add the horseradish and season with a pinch of salt. Assemble on the plate and garnish with watercress.