Vegetarian
Vegetarian beetroot bourguignon recipe
This veg-packed twist on a French classic is wonderfully good for the gut. Not only are beets are filled with fibre; they’re also a source of glutamine – an amino acid that’s key for a healthy intestinal tract. Make a big batch and freeze it, or keep it in the fridge to eat throughout the week.
Ingredients
- 300g chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 2 tbsp salted butter or oil
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 1 echalion shallot, finely sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 8 raw beetroots (approx. 300g), chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 750ml bottle of full-bodied red wine
- 150ml vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp pomegranate molasses or honey
- Salt and pepper
- 400g potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp crème fraîche
- Fresh oregano
Method
- In a large casserole dish, sauté the mushrooms with half the butter or oil for ve minutes before removing from the pan and setting to one side.
- Add in the remaining butter or oil, followed by the onion and shallot – sautéing for a few minutes until golden. Add in the garlic and thyme, followed by the beetroot and carrots. Mix in the tomato purée and stir, cooking for seven minutes or so. Add the red wine, stock and bay leaves, and simmer on a low heat for around an hour. When it’s tender, season again to taste and add the molasses or honey for sweetness. Remove the bay leaves. Add the cooked mushrooms and juices back into the pan and mix well.
- To prepare the mashed potato, boil the potatoes in salted water for around 20 minutes until soft, then drain. Mash them along with the butter and crème fraîche until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with the bourguignon, scattered with sprigs of oregano.
