Beetroot and crispy curds on barley crackers

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, induction setting 4, add the barley and water and simmer covered for 1 hour, or until very tender. Add more water if needed.
2. Allow to cool slightly then drain the grains, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.
3. Blend or process the cooked barley and salt with the reserved water until smooth.
4. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and spread the puree on the lined tray to 2 mm thickness.
5. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and extra salt flakes.
6. Place the tray on shelf level 2 and bake on Fan Plus at 150°C for 1 hour, or until crisp. Allow to cool.
7. Roughly break up and store in an airtight container until needed.

1. Peel and quarter the beetroots and place into a perforated steam container. Cut some of the steams into ½ cm pieces to make 1 cup.
2. Place the beetroot into the steam oven and Steam at 100°C for 1 hour, or until tender.
3. Blend or process the beetroot with the salt and xanthan gum, if using, until smooth. Set aside for later use.
4. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil on high heat, induction setting 8, for 30 seconds. Allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Combine the reserved beetroot stems with the pickling liquid in a vacuum sealing bag and place into the vacuum sealing drawer and Vacuum on level 3 and Seal on level 3.

1. Place the milk and orange rind into an unperforated steam container. Place into the steam oven and Steam at 100°C for 1 minute. Remove the rind. Add the vinegar and stir lightly until curdled.
2. Spoon the curds into a clean cloth or muslin in a sieve over a bowl. Allow to drain for 10 minutes.
3. Keep in the cloth and remove to a plate and place another plate on top. Allow to stand in the fridge for 2 hours. Strain any liquid and remove firm curds from the cloth.
4. Preheat a frying pan on medium-high heat, induction setting 7, add the oil and crumble in the curd. Stir gently until browned and crispy, approximately 4 minutes.
5. Drain onto paper towel and season to taste.

1. Break the crackers into small pieces and place a teaspoon of beetroot puree on top.
2. Add the curd, drained pickled beetroot stems, orange zest and micro herbs.

• Reserve the whey from the curd to cook the barley in the ‘Toasted barley salad with sweetcorn and prunes’ dish.
• The beetroot leaves can be used for the ‘Toasted barley salad with sweetcorn and prunes’ recipe.
• Reserve a slice of the beetroot for the ‘Remains of the day cocktail’.
• The pickling liquid can be taken from the ‘Pickled carrot salad with togarashi’ recipe.

• The milk for the curd can be heated slowly on an induction cooktop on medium heat, induction setting 6.
• The barley can be steamed with the beetroots, this would make a firmer cracker.

• A pinch of xanthan gum can be added to the beetroot puree to thicken the puree. Xanthan gum is a great thickening agent; use a ratio of @?{ tsp xanthan gum to 240 ml liquid and use a blender to combine.
• Pickling the stems in a vacuum sealing bag speeds up the pickling process, otherwise it would take 6 hours.