Baked Camembert with Beetroot and Red Onion Compote

If you’re a cheese lover and Camembert is a favourite of yours, then this Baked Camembert with Beetroot and Red Onion Compote may be a recipe you want to add to your list of favourites! It’s perfect served as a snack for guests or the whole family. And, with the beetroot  and red onion included in the dish, you can add a tick to your 1 serving of vegetables do your days tallies (just in case you were looking for an excuse to make this dummy dish).

When you read “BAKED”, it may scream – WORK, MESS, HASSLE, FUSS! But, in fact, with this Baked Camembert recipe, it’s really as easy as purchasing the cheese, unwrapping it and placing it in the oven. The only REAL prep work is whipping up the beetroot and red onion compote which will take you around 10 minutes max!

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

Beetroot & Red Onion Compote

• 2 red onions, finely sliced
• 1 large beetroot, peeled and finely diced (use gloves to keep hands your standard colour – don’t say I didn’t warn you!)
• 1 tsp (5ml) dried tarragon
• 1 tsp (5ml) dried thyme
• 1 Tbs (15ml) olive oil
• 80ml Two Oceans Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
• 80 ml brown sugar
• 2 Tbs (30 ml) Old Brown or port
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Baked Camembert

• 2 Camembert rounds
• Olive oil to drizzle
• A few sprigs of thyme

To Serve

• Sliced baguette, toasted and rubbed with garlic and a drizzle of olive oil
• Fresh thyme

Method

For the Compote

• In a small pot, add the onions, beetroot and herbs to the heated oil and lightly sauté for two minutes.
• Add the Two Oceans Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, sugar and sherry or port.
• Mix until evenly combined, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove the lid and simmer over a low heat for another 15 minutes or until the liquid is sticky and reduced.
• Season with salt and pepper.

For the Camembert

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Place the Camembert rounds in small skillet pans, add a sprig or two of thyme and drizzle with a little olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cheese is of a soft, oozy consistency.

Serve immediately with the red onion and beetroot compote and crusty toasted bread/bruschetta.

Credit: This recipe was brought to you by the Place in the Sun brand – an optimistic, can-do brand that looks on the bright side of life! Place in the Sun makes wines that are juicy and generously flavoured Fairtrade-accredited wines and are made with grapes from Devon Valley, Stellenbosch. Find them on Facebook and Twitter.