ROASTED BEETROOT SALAD WITH GOATS CHEESE & WALNUTS


ROASTED BEETROOT SALAD WITH GOATS CHEESE & WALNUTS

Roasted beetroot salad, with goats cheese and walnuts, is the perfect side dish for a BBQ. Simple to make, it transports well for a meal with friends.  It can also be served with loads of crusty bread as a hearty vegetarian main.

TOTAL TIME INVESTMENT: 60 MINUTES

When I was a child beetroot came in tins. Perfect circles, soaked in sweet vinegar that masked the true earthiness of the vegetable. Every steak sandwich or burger came with a slice of beetroot, tucked between the salad and the meat, that had to be extricated before the meal could start. If you were really unlucky, the beetroot juices had seeped into the bread, turning it blood red and soggy.

I avoided beetroot for a long time, the childhood memories firmly at the forefront of my mind. A few years ago, however, I was offered roasted beetroot and found myself in a position in which it would have been impolite to refuse. So I ate it. What a revelation.

Freshly cooked beetroot bears no resemblance at all to the pickled slices I remembered of old.  Beetroot has become so well loved in our house that we now even grow our own, and I love to add it in salads, use it as a main dish or even blend it into hummus.

If you have been sitting on the sidelines when it comes to beetroot, then I urge you to try roasting it which concentrates the deep, earthy flavour of the root.  Roasted beetroot lends itself wonderfully to salads as it does not break apart readily and tastes as good cold as it does hot. The only thing to be wary of is that it will turn all your other ingredients deep red, which is fine if that is the look you’re going for. Just consider this small factor when adding beetroot to a dish.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS FOR ROASTED BEETROOT SALAD

If you don’t have time to roast the beetroot, you can make this salad with pre-cooked ready to eat beetroot you can now buy in the supermarkets.  You can also make the salad using boiled beetroot if you prefer.

You can also use all golden beetroot in this salad, but I can tell you from personal experience it is not quite as good.  The salad pictured contains red, white and golden beetroot, which is a nice combination.  For the best flavour you really need to include some red beets in the mix.

Whilst the walnut oil is delicious in this salad, it is not essential.  Don’t go and buy walnut oil specifically for this roasted beetroot salad.  Olive oil makes a perfectly good substitute; one that I use often when I have no walnut oil on hand.

The goats cheese can be readily substituted with either sheep or cow’s milk feta cheese.

Replace the rocket (arugula) with other salad greens.  I have used baby beetroot leaves, spinach or mixed salad leaves when I have had no rocket on hand.

Walnuts do work best in this salad, however roasted pecans may be used in place of the walnuts if you wish to save yourself a trip to the shops.

TIPS & TRICKS TO MAKING AN AWESOME ROASTED BEETROOT SALAD.

Beetroot become impossible to peel if they are allowed to cool completely. Peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Save yourself the pain and trust me on this one.

I suggest you taste the beetroot before you toss it with the dressing, as some varieties can be quite sweet. If you find the beetroot to be very sweet, then add more vinegar to the dressing to balance out the flavours.  The dressing itself should taste quite vinegary before you add it to the beetroot.

If you wish to get ahead, roast the beetroot a day ahead.  Peel and cut the beetroot, and toss it in a small amount of the dressing.  Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate until required.  The next day, proceed with the salad as detailed in the recipe.  I have made this beetroot salad in this manner a few times now, and it is just as delicious.

If I am serving this at home, I assemble the roasted beetroot salad just before serving so the cheese doesn’t go pink.  If I am transporting the salad to a picnic, I toss the rocket with the beetroot, and add the goats cheese and walnuts when I arrive at the destination.

Enjoy!

Roasted Beetroot, Goats Cheese & Walnut Salad

Roasted beetroot salad, with goats cheese and walnuts, is the perfect side dish for a BBQ. Simple to make, it transports well for a meal with friends. It can also be served with loads of crusty bread as a hearty vegetarian main.

Prep Time 15 minutes
 Cook Time 45 minutes
 Total Time 1 hour
 Servings 4
 Calories 322 kcal
 Author Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas

Ingredients
To roast the beetroot
1 kg (2 lb) medium beetroot washed but not peeled
2 cloves garlic crushed
a few sprigs of thyme
red wine vinegar
olive oil
salt & pepper
60 ml (1/4 cup) water
To construct the salad
3 Tablespoons walnut oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt & pepper
1 kg (2 lb) roasted beetroot
150 g (6 cups) rocket leaves
150 g (2/3 cup) goats cheese
40 g (1/3 cup) roasted walnuts chopped

Instructions
To roast the beetroot
Pre-heat the oven to 180C
Place the beetroot, garlic cloves and thyme into a baking dish.
Add a splash of red wine vinegar to the tray and drizzle olive oil over the beetroot.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the water into the bottom of the baking dish.
Cover the baking dish with foil, ensuring that it is well sealed, and place in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.
The beetroot are ready when a metal skewer slides easily through the centre.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Slide your fingers, applying slight pressure, over the beetroot to remove the skins. They should slip off easily.
Proceed with the salad whilst the beetroot is still warm.
To construct the salad
Whisk together the walnut oil and red wine vinegar in a large bowl.
Season with salt and pepper.



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