Beetroot rosti with horseradish cream and smoked salmon

I love the combination of beetroot and salmon. It reminds me about my childhood. This recipe is really good for a weekend breakfast, then you are not on a hurry. So forget about your cereals and make something different.

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 x 450g tin baby beetroot, drained
4 medium (about 600g) pontiac potatoes, peeled
50g butter, melted
2 tbs olive oil
250g ctn creme fraiche
1 tbs grated horseradish, drained
2 tsp Dijon mustard
200g smoked salmon slices
1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced lengthways
 Dill sprigs, to serve

Method
Coarsely grate the beetroot and potato and place in a bowl. Use your hands to squeeze as much liquid from the potato and beetroot as possible. Transfer to a clean bowl. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Season well with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 100°C. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spoon three 1/4-cup portions of beetroot mixture into the pan. Use a spatula to flatten each portion to an 8cm disc. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden brown and cooked though. Use the spatula to transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Place in a warm oven. Continue in 3 more batches with remaining beetroot mixture, adding and reheating more oil if necessary.

Combine the creme fraiche, horseradish and mustard in a small bowl. Arrange three rosti on each serving plate. Top with salmon, cucumber and a dollop of creme fraiche mixture. Sprinkle with dill to serve.

Mini blinis with horseradish cream and caviar

You can buy packets of blinis from most good supermarkets or you can easily make them yourself.  Serve them cold if you want to prepare these canapés ahead, but they're even better warm.

Ingredients: 
12 mini blinis (or see recipe below),
6 tbsp Crème Fraîche or sour cream,
3/4 tsp grated lemon zest,
3/4 tsp creamed horseradish,
1-2 tbsp caviar,
Snipped fresh chives for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven according to the package instructions for heating the blini. Combine the Crème Fraîche with the lemon zest and horseradish and set aside.

Place the blinis on a baking sheet and warm through for about 5 minutes or according to the package instruction. Arrange the blinis on a serving platter.

Top each blini with a spoonful of the  horseradish cream and about 1/4 tsp caviar. Sprinkle with snipped chives, if desired, and serve.



For homemade blinis ( about 30 small blinis with a diameter of 5 cm ):

1 teaspoon dried yeast
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separate the yolks from whites
1 cup regular flour
3 tbsp butter, melted
vegetable oil for frying

Dissolve yeast in warm milk, add sugar, flour and egg yolks, mix well. Leave on for a half-hour in a warm place. Beat whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks. Add the cooled butter in the dough, then carefully add the beaten whites.


Grease frying pan with a bit of oil. Spread the dough with a spoon and fry for 2 minutes on each side.