Serves 4

If you have a cast-iron griddle pan and haven’t used it for a while, you may need to "season" it to stop food from sticking. To do this, pour in enough oil to cover the surface of the pan with a thin film and heat gently until hot. Remove from the heat and drain off the excess oil. With a thick bundle of kitchen paper, rub the remaining oil all over the pan and into the grooves.

2 medium-sized beetroot
Large handful of rock salt
Few sprigs of thyme or a handful of sage leaves
8 garlic cloves
Olive oil, for cooking
Handful of whole blanched hazelnuts
Half a large butternut squash
50g pancetta slices
25g butter
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed
Large handful of rocket leaves
Drizzle of hazelnut oil, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Wash the beetroot and trim the tops, leaving a little of the leafy stalks and roots. Lay a large sheet of foil on a baking sheet and pile the rock salt in the centre. Nestle the beetroot and half of the herbs in the salt. Bring the ends of the foil together and scrunch to enclose the beetroot and seal.

2 Toss the garlic in a little olive oil and place on the same baking sheet. Cook alongside the beetroot for 45-50 minutes until the beetroot is tender and the garlic flesh turns soft and squidgy. While the beetroot and garlic are in the oven, roast the hazelnuts on a separate baking sheet until golden.

3 Meanwhile, cut the seedless end of the squash across its width into 1cm-thick slices. Cut each slice into quarters. Brush liberally with olive oil and season. Heat a griddle pan to almost smoking, then press the squash on to the ridges. Cook for 10 minutes, turning them halfway until char-grilled on the outside and soft in the middle.

4 Remove the beetroot and garlic from the oven. Cut the pancetta slices in half, then rest them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Rest another baking sheet on top, then bake in the oven for 8 minutes until crispy. Remove from the oven and drain on kitchen paper. This will give you perfectly flat and crispy pancetta crisps.

5 Peel the beetroot while warm with a small knife. Cut into slender wedges, then heat the butter in a sauté pan. When it starts to foam, toss in the beetroot with some seasoning and cook, turning frequently, until coated in the butter and glossy. Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and bubble until syrupy. Keep warm.

6 When you are ready to serve, slice the fennel crossways into thin slivers. Toss the fennel and rocket in hazelnut oil and seasoning. Pop the roasted garlic from their skins and lightly crush the hazelnuts. Arrange all the salad ingredients on a plate, piling them delicately as you go and dressing with extra-virgin olive oil. Drizzle with a little more vinegar and a final sprinkling of black pepper.

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