This Beetroot and Goat Cheese Salad is a dish that will delight. Goat cheese and beetroot have long been a popular pairing and this salad demonstrates how well they work together. Although easily prepared from readily available ingredients, it is elegant, with a beautiful combination of textures, flavours and colours. As well, it is versatile; serve it as a starter, a side dish or a light lunch. It will be a great addition to your table.
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
Roasting the Beetroot:
Heat your oven to 200 degrees C (400 F).
If the beets still have their leaves, use a sharp knife and cut them off, leaving about 2.5 cm (1 inch) of stems on the beetroot. Don’t cut off the roots or you will lose some of the beet juices and flavour. Don’t discard the leaves, set them aside for another purpose, you can cook them as you would silverbeet. They cook up tender and sweet. See Note 4.Wash the beetroots under cold running water. You don’t need to dry them.
Wrap each of the beetroots individually loosely in aluminium foil, making sure they are completely covered. Place in a large baking dish or on a rimmed baking tray to catch any juices which may leak.
Roast in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until the beets are cooked.
To test if they are done, insert a skewer, through the foil, into the centre. They are done when a skewer slides easily through the beet flesh. Small beets will cook more quickly than large ones.
Set them aside to cool in the foil until they are cool enough to handle. To avoid staining your fingers, you may like to wear disposable rubber gloves. As well, I recommend a plastic chopping board as the beetroot will stain any porous material, such as your chopping board or your clothing.
With a sharp knife, trim the stem and root end. Rub the skin away with a paper towel or peel it away with your fingers. It should peel away easily. Do this while they are still warm as it will be more difficult when they are cold.If there are any tough pieces of skin, use a sharp paring knife to remove them. Your beets are now ready.
For the Salad:
Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan/skillet over medium heat.Stir with a wooden spoon, or, shake the pan frequently, until the nuts are golden brown and aromatic. Immediately remove them to a plate so they do not continue cooking in the pan and set aside.
Slice the prepared beetroot into slices about 1 cm (⅓ inch) thick and arrange on a serving platter.
Crumble the goat cheese over the beetroot.Finely shred the mint leaves and scatter them on top. Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds on the salad.
Drizzle the olive oil across the salad, and season to taste with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
Notes
After removing the leaves, and before cooking, the weight of the 4 beetroot was about 600 g (1.3 pounds).
The Australian tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. Please adjust your measurement if necessary.
Adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
To keep the leaves fresh for a few days, wrap them loosely in damp paper towel, place in a plastic bag and store in the crisper drawer of your fridge.