Bunched beetroot, hazelnut and goat's cheese salad
Salads
Bunched beetroot, hazelnut and goat's cheese salad
As good balance of sweetness, saltiness, sharpness and crunch. This vegetarian salad is a lovely starter or side with a sweet intensity that pairs well with dense-fleshed meats like game, pork or ham. Toss it with peppery salad leaves – rocket or watercress. You could also add a handful of cooked grains – pearl barley, spelt or farro – to give a bit more substance.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of beetroot, trimmed and scrubbed clean
- 75g whole hazelnuts, in their skins
- juice of ½ orange
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp clear runny honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 75g salad leaves or watercress, washed
- 100g soft goat's cheese or curd
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Wrap each beetroot in foil and place in a baking dish. Pop in the oven and roast until tender (test by inserting a sharp knife). The timing will vary depending on the size of your beetroot; small ones will take about 40 minutes, larger ones a little longer.
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Step 2
While the beetroot is roasting, put the hazelnuts on a nonstick baking tray. Roast as they are for about 10 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, then rub off the skins while still a little warm (wrapping them in a clean tea cloth is a good way to get them off easily). Roughly chop into halves and quarters.
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Step 3
Allow the beetroot to cool a little then rub off the skins (they should come away easily). Slice into thick wedges.
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Step 4
Whisk the orange juice, mustard, honey and olive oil together to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
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Step 5
Toss the salad leaves in just enough dressing to coat. Arrange on a serving plate and scatter over the beetroot and hazelnuts. Drizzle a little more dressing over the beetroot and crumble over the cheese to serve.
