Beetroot and feta

I still remember the first time I cut open beetroots that were not purple. Yellow, pink, white. Their beauty was breathtaking.  Those stripes of bright pink and white hypnotised me. I looked at them in awe. And then the yellow ones with beauty in different colours. I still prefer to find these jewels rather than the purple/red ones.

1 kg classic, yellow and pink beetroot (I keep the skins on)
20 ml mild extra virgin olive oil for frying
1 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
7 coriander seeds, slightly crushed
sea salt to taste
pepper to taste

to serve:
4 tsp smoked mild extra virgin olive oil
200 g feta or other cheese like this, in pieces
handful of peppermint
a small handful of dill leaves
small handful of parsley


Heat the oven to 200°C. Sprinkle with oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and spices and mix separately. Add beetroot to a pan, dividing yellow on one side, pink in the middle, and dark on the other. If you mix them all together, they will lose their colour. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Remove, place them in a serving bowl, and drizzle with smoked oil, feta, and herbs. Serve.