Beetroot & goat's cheese salad

BEETROOT & GOAT’S CHEESE SALAD WITH CARAMELISED WALNUTS (Starter)

Ingredients (serves 4)
25g/1oz butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
100g/4oz goat’s cheese
25ml/1oz cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, chives and flat leave parsley plus extra to garnish
25g/1oz honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 cooked beetroots
1½ tablespoons of red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

chard leaves and rocket leaves to decorate

METHOD
1. Melt butter and sugar in a pan until it turns a blond caramel colour. Add the walnuts and stir until coated. Remove and cool.
2. Crumble goat’s cheese into a blender. Slowly add the cream. When smooth add herbs, honey and lemon juice. Mix and season to taste. Place mixture in a piping bag.
3. Thinly slice the beetroot into 24 slices. Finely dice the end pieces of the beetroot and retain for the dressing.
4. Pipe little mounds of the goat’s cheese sandwiched between two slices of beetroot. Place three on each plate.
5. Mix the vinegar, olive oil and diced beetroot for the dressing. Season to taste.

To serve
Drizzle the dressing around the beetroot sandwiches. Scatter walnuts, herbs and garnish with rocket leaves and red chard.
Serve with or without bread.