Beetroot, Radish And Goat’s Cheese Salad
It might seem odd to put yogurt dressing on a salad that contains goat’s cheese, but it seems to work. Buttermilk dressing is good too and a little lighter. Leave the beetroot raw if you want – cut it into very fine slices – and replace the lamb’s lettuce with watercress if it’s easier. A little spelt (see crazy grains for how to cook it) is good alongside.
Ingrediënten
FOR THE SALAD
- 600 g 1lb 5oz small raw beetroots
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 very small red onion very finely sliced
- 125 ml 4fl oz cider vinegar
- 35 g 1¼oz granulated sugar
- 125 g 4½oz radishes
- 150 g 5½oz lamb’s lettuce
- small handful of mint leaves
- 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil use a light, fruity one
- good squeeze of lemon juice
- 175 g 6oz goat’s cheese, crumbled
FOR THE YOGURT DRESSING
- 100 g 3½oz Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove crushed
Instructies
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Cut the stalks and leaves from the beetroots and trim the tufty tail off too (if the leaves are nice and fresh wash them, shred them and add to the salad, they have a great colour).
- Wash the beetroots really well and put them into a double layer of foil set in a roasting tin (the foil has to be large enough to be pulled loosely up round the beetroots to make a ‘tent’).
- Season them and drizzle with the oil, turning them to make sure they are well coated.
- Pull the foil around the beetroots to make a parcel and put into the hot oven.
- If you have managed to get small beetroots they should be tender to the point of a small sharp knife in about 30 minutes; larger ones can take as long as 1½ hours.
- As you are eating them cold you can cook the beetroots well in advance, so the cooking time won’t be a problem.
- Put the onion into a saucepan with the vinegar and sugar.
- Bring gently to the boil, then pull off the heat and leave for 30 minutes.
- The onions will lightly pickle.
- Drain.
- Top and tail the radishes – only take off the very longest bit of the tail – then cut them, lengthways, into thin slices.
- To make the dressing, mix everything well with 2 tbsp of water.
- When the beetroots are tender and cool enough to handle, carefully peel them.
- Either cut them into rounds or wedges.
- Toss the lamb’s lettuce, mint and radishes with the extra virgin oil, lemon and seasoning, then divide between six plates.
- Spoon on the pickled onions and arrange the beetroot and goat’s cheese on top.
- Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.
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