Garden Beetroot and Apple Salad
with goat's cheese mousse and caramelised walnutsGoat’s cheese and beetroot are a popular combination, but my recipe takes the goats cheese and turns it into a lovely mousse. The mousse featured on Great British Menu – Mathew Fort famously declaring that he didn’t like goats cheese, but at least John Burton Race had also used it!
- 400g roasted beetroots
- 1 apple, cut into medium dice
- Aged balsamic vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 20 whole caramelised walnuts
- Beetroot salad leaves
- 4 tbsp walnut oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 200g goat’s cheese log
- 200g greek yoghurt
- 8g gelatine leaves
- 75g double or whipping cream
- 50g apple, cut into very small dice
- 50g celery, cut into very small dice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk the walnut oil with the white wine vinegar and season to taste.
To make the goats cheese mousse, first line a 35 x 25 x 2cm baking tray with cling film. Put the goats cheese and yoghurt into a food processor and process to a smooth purée. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water until soft. Bring the cream to the boil, remove form the heat, then add the gelatine and stir to dissolve. Add the warm cream to the goats cheese and yoghurt purée and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the diced apple and celery and season with salt and pepper. Pour into the prepared tray and leave to set for 6 hours.
Once the mousse has set, remove to a chopping board and take off the clingfilm. Cut into 2.5cm cubes, allowing 3 per portion.
Cut the roasted beetroot into interesting shapes and divide between the four bowls. Dress with the walnut vinaigrette and leave to marinade for 10 minutes.
Mix some of the aged balsalmic with some extra virgin olive oil, then take a spoon and drizzle some of this dressing into the bowl. Place the seven pieces of diced apple over and around. Add five walnuts and a few beetroot salad leaves and serve.
