BEETROOT PANCAKES WITH CARROT, CAPERS & VEGAN DILL CREAM CHEESE

A beautiful dish, fit to be served on the patio on a warm summer day!

Ingredients

For the carrots

150g carrots, peeled into strips (Zapped in the microwave for 30 secs)

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp chopped dill

1 tsp salt

Good grinding of black pepper

For the beetroot pancakes

100g cooked beetroot, roughly chopped

1 cup chickpea or gram flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp light oil, such as grapeseed

For the dill cream cheese

150g vegan cream cheese – I use soaked and blanched almonds processed in a high speed blender

2 tsp chopped dill

Squeeze of lemon juice

Good grinding of black pepper and salt

To serve

Small bunch dill, roughly chopped

2-3 tbsp capers, roughly chopped

Snipped chives

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 lemon, quartered

Freshly ground black pepper

Start by making your carrots and keep aside.

Next, make your pancake batter. Add the beetroot and half a cup of water to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl. Add the beetroot, vinegar and oil, and gently whisk together until just combined. If the batter feels a little thick, add a splash more water. Leave to rest for at least 15 mins, or longer if you have time.

Make your dill cream cheese by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. I pulsed the ingredients together.

When you're ready to serve, add a drizzle of light oil to a non-stick pan and place over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add 2-inch dollops of batter to the pan for canapé-sized pancakes, or make regular-sized pancakes for a light meal.

7. Make the pancakes in batches, cooking for a couple of mins on each side, or until they're drying around the edges and bubbles are appearing in the middle. Flip, and continue to cook for a further minute or so.

8. Keep your pancakes in a warm oven while you repeat with the remaining batter.

9. When you‘re ready to serve, lay the pancakes out on a serving plate and top with dollops of cream cheese and a few shavings of carrots. Finish with a sprinkling of dill, capers, snipped chives and red onion, a little squeeze of lemon, and a grinding of fresh black pepper.