Salads
Summer salad with beetroot, goat's cheese and French beans
This straightfoward, seasonal salad has a lovely contrast of taste and texture and is just the thing for a light lunch. Or eat it for dinner with grilled lamb chops. For an autumnal version, substitute roasted squash for the beetroot.
Cook's notes
If you don't have any cooked beetroot, you can roast or boil them. Wash gently and trim, leaving the root intact, and a couple of cm leaf stalk. Then either boil or roast in a hot oven (about 200°C), individually wrapped in foil or in 1cm water in a dish covered with foil. This will take about 45-60 minutes, depending on size.
Ingredients
- 300g mixed summer salad leaves
- 150g French beans, trimmed
- 200g cooked beetroot, cut into 2cm cubes
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 100g soft goat's cheese, crumbled
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Wash the salad leaves and dry well.
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Step 2
Cook the beans in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, until just tender, then drain, refresh in cold water and drain again.
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Step 3
Put them in a large bowl with the salad leaves and beetroot.
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Step 4
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and some seasoning together to make a dressing.
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Step 5
Toss with the salad then sprinkle with goat's cheese.