Beet Bourguignon: A satisfying vegetarian take on the French classic

Yes, you read that right, it’s beet Bourguignon, not beef. This is my vegetarian version of a classic meat dish in which I lose the meat and instead braise beetroots in red wine with black lentils.

The result will warm your cockles on a winter's day and satisfy even the meatiest of meat-eaters. This recipe came about when I was recently cooking for the workers at Harrison Gardeners Build School in Ennistymon, in north Clare. The workers need a good feed and this one-pot wonder was a huge hit, served with steamy herby crushed potatoes.

The key to making a satisfying version of what is classically a meat dish, I think, is treating the foundations of this casserole as you would when making a meaty braise, and building flavour at each stage.

Always use good quality beetroot and make sure to roast the beets and carrots so they have colour and get a good depth of flavour.

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Niamh Fox is a chef based in Co Clare

Niamh Fox’s beet Bourguignon

Serves four

Ingredients
3 medium-size beetroots, peeled and cut chunky
4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut chunky
Oil for cooking
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g dried mushrooms, I used porcini but use any kind, or a mix
Knob of butter
3 red onions, peeled and cut chunky
3-4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 punnet of chestnut mushrooms
2 celery sticks, cut chunky
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp marmite, optional
3 bay leaves
Few sprigs of thyme or 1 tbsp dried thyme
4 cups vegetable stock
1 large glass of red wine
100g beluga or Puy lentils

To serve: Potatoes, rice or bread, creme fraiche, parsley

Method

1 Firstly preheat your oven to 220 degrees and toss the beets and carrots in a little oil and seasoning. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until soft with a little colour.

2 Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour boiling water over and let sit while you prepare your other ingredients (at least 15 minutes).

3 Fry the onion and garlic on a medium heat for about 5-10 minutes in a large pot with a knob of butter. Let them caramelise a little, add the tomato purée and also allow this to get caramelised, this will give a richer flavour to the stew.

4 Chop the chestnut mushrooms into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot, and fry a little more.

5 Add the celery and the roasted veg to the pot and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cover with a lid and let steam for about 10 minutes. This will allow the vegetables to release some liquid and flavour.

6 Take the dried mushrooms out of the hot water, but don't discard the water as this will add flavour to the stew, simply set it aside for later. Chop the mushrooms into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot.

7 Add soy sauce or tamari, balsamic vinegar, marmite, bay leaves and thyme. Give it all a good mix and keep sauteing for another couple of minutes, without the lid on.

8 Add the rinsed lentils, the mushroom soaking water, vegetable stock and red wine. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring the whole thing to a boil and then let simmer for 30 minutes with the lid slightly tilted over the pot, to let it slowly reduce.

9 Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, brown rice or crusty bread and flat-leaf parsley and a big dollop of creme fraiche.