It's happened again. My kitchen has a dribble of beetroot here and a spot of beetroot there. It does not quite look like a massacre but it's close. The beetroot came from Arthur's allotment which is a few strides along the famous Dales Way walk close to the Old Bridge in Ilkley. Every Monday and Friday afternoon Arthur sets up a garden gate stall and sells his lovely produce to passers by. Arthur is in his 80's and has been gardening all his life. The funny thing is when I talked to him as he was propped on his spade about the dig up my beetroot, he sounded just like Ilkley's golden boy gardener Alan Titchmarsh....the same gentle lilt in his voice, the obvious love of being in the garden and the same kind face. I wonder if they are related?
This lovely beetroot, carrot and goats cheese salad is based on one from the Green Kitchen. It does not call for cooked beetroot but raw. I grate the beetroot and carrot in the food processor and then assembled the salad with torn leaves from my tiny garden. The ingredients in the salad can be varied according to what you might have in the fridge but think of the grated beetroot and carrot as the base. Beetroot pairs well with goat’s cheese and is also lovely with cumin and coriander flat bread which I shall be posting next week. Enjoy while the weather holds its warmth.
Beetroot and carrot salad with goat’s cheese
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 lettuce leaves, rinsed
- 2 raw medium beetroots, scrubbed and peeled
- 1 raw carrot, scrubbed and peeled
- 1/4 cucumber
- 1/4 red onion, sliced
- 1 ripe avocado,
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp coriander, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- juice from 1 lime
- sea salt & black pepper
- 100g soft goat’s cheese
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
- Edible flowers such as pea, marigold or viola (optional)
Method
Rip the lettuce leaves into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Grate the beetroot and carrot by hand or by using the grating attachment on a food processor and add to the lettuce together with the sliced red onion. Slice the tomatoes and chop the avocado and add to the remaining ingredients. Throw the coriander into the bowl and add the olive oil, lime juice and salt and pepper. Gently combine all the ingredients with the dressing. Place a quarter of the mixture onto four plates and top with slices of goat’s cheese and scatter with pine nuts. Decorate with edible flowers if you have them. Serve with the cumin and coriander flatbread.
