Beetroot, Goats Cheese Mousse, Raspberry & Walnut Salad
Starter or Salad
Feeds 4
Cook Time: 30-90 mins
Difficulty: Easy
This is an absolute go to recipe of mine. It’s super simple! It’s super delicious and is a show stopper for your guests - it’s a crowd pleaser and can turn the hardened anti-beetroot campaigner into a pure beetroot lover!
If you follow a little short cut, you could actually get this thrown together in a matter of minutes! If you haven’t got time to cook or roast your fresh beetroots, buy a pack of the pre-cooked, vac-packed beetroots that are in the salad sections in the shops! Pop the bag open, chop or slice the beets - you’re almost there!
Buy the creamy style goats cheese - some shops now have goats cheese without the rind - this saves you having to slice it all off, but choose a goats cheese you like to eat!
Balsamic or red wine vinegar works a treat - don’t be shy to swap them out based on what’s in your cupboard!
Toasting the walnuts isn’t absolutely vital - if you haven’t got time or the inclination, don’t worry - these are just the little steps that chefs do to extract that little bit of extra va-va-voom
The pea shoots can also be optional - they just add a lovely fresh burst of flavour and look great - any small leaves can work though - rocket or watercress are great substitutions
Need a canapé in a rush? Whip out some wholemeal crackers, thinly slice the beetroots, pipe on a splodge of the goats cheese mousse, half a raspberry - you’re away!
The quantities below are for a starter - but up them a bit to make a delicious lunch or salad!
INGREDIENTS:
2 Medium Beetroots or 1 Pack of Pre-Cooked Beets
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
100g Goats Cheese, rind removed
25-50g Double Cream
1/2 Lemon Zest only
Handful Walnuts
Pea Shoots to Garnish
Pinch of Salt & Pepper
METHOD:
If you’re using fresh beetroots, either wrap them in foil with some balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and roast them in the oven at 180C for around 90 minutes until they are soft all the way through or place them in a saucepan, cover with water, add a good pinch of salt and boil for around 60-90 minutes until soft
Once cooked, remove from the pan or oven and allow to cool for around 10 minutes until they are cool enough to handle. Use your hands to scrub off the peel - doing this under running water sometimes helps if the skins are a touch stubborn. Rinse the remaining bits of skin off the beetroots
Chop the beetroots into the size you enjoy - I go for around 20-30mm chunks - but that’s just the way I am! Set them aside to cool
Place the handful of walnuts on a baking tray and roast in the oven for around 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted - remove from the oven and set aside
Place the goats cheese and double cream into your food processor with the lemon zest and blend until smooth. Stop the machine and scrape down the side a couple of times. Its really important not to over whip the cheese - it will eventually start to break down and become very runny!
Taste the mousse before either scooping into a piping bag or placing in the fridge
Mix the balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil together in a bowl, add the beetroot and coat well - set aside
Grab the plate you want to serve it on, either pipe some neat blobs of the goats mousse, or spread it over the middle of the plate with a spoon
Drain the excess dressing and scatter over the beetroots - if you can keep them within the centre of the plate, it will look a little neater - especially if you can keep them within your spread of goats mousse.
Drizzle over some of the balsamic dressing and a pinch of salt and pepper
Top with the raspberries (you can halve them if you want them a little smaller), roughly chop the toasted walnuts and sprinkle over the salad - again, try to keep them within the frame of the centre of the plate or the goats cheese mousse
Top the salad with some pea shoots to really make this look fancy pants!
You’re ready to wow your guests at the table!
