The sweetness of beetroot works well with salty and sour ingredients, thus you could create a salad with beetroot, smoked salmon and crème fraiche. This recipe comes from my book Taste. You can use larger beetroot, just cook for longer and cut into pretty pieces.
Serves 6
24 baby beetroots
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons walnut oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
170g fresh samphire, rinsed and trimmed of any woody stems
6 handfuls of mixed salad leaves
6 x 55g fresh goat’s cheeses, such as Crottin de Chavignol
If using raw beetroot, trim the leaves to within 2.5cm of the root and scrub clean. Put the beetroot in a saucepan, liberally cover with cold water and set over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook until the beetroot are tender and peel easily. They should take about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Once the beetroot are cool enough to handle, don a pair of rubber gloves (to avoid pink hands), peel away their skins and snip off their roots. Halve or quarter each beetroot and place in a small bowl.
Whisk together the garlic, vinegar and 3 tablespoons walnut oil. Season to taste and
dress the beetroot with a third of the vinaigrette.
Drop the samphire into a pan of boiling water and cook for a few seconds. Drain immediately, and cool under the cold tap. Gently pat dry in kitchen paper and place in a mixing bowl with the salad leaves.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the cheeses on an oiled baking sheet and drizzle each with a little walnut oil. Grill for 3-4 minutes, or until they are flecked golden. Dress the salad leaves with the remaining vinaigrette. Arrange in a loose circle on 6 serving plates. Slip the dressed beetroot in among the leaves. Finally, add the hot cheese and serve immediately with good wholemeal or walnut bread.
