Beetroot is one of my favourite vegetables. It’s also one that I hated as a child, only ever served to me cold and tasting far too strongly of vinegar.
One of the best uses for Beetroot is when paired with goats cheese - the two flavours compliment each other and as such create a beautiful and delicious salad (but I’m not using goats cheese this time!). Beetroot is also delicious when used with apple - one added to a soup of beetroot, onion and beef stock adds a delightful sweet note to an otherwise earthy flavour.
With this in mind, I started thinking a little deeper. The strong but deep cheese flavour sets the beetroot off nicely, but how could I use it in a more “English” way?
This simple salad uses cooked beetroot and apple slices alternately layered to create a tower. A hot stilton cream sauce is then poured sparingly around the outside.
I personally think it’s delicious - but what do you guys think? Feel free to let me know either way.
Oh! And don’t forget - later today is my roundup for Weekend Herb Blogging.
Beetroot, Apple and Stilton Salad - Ingredients
- 3 Beetroot, peeled cooked and chilled
- 1 Large Apple
- 175g Stilton
- 150ml Double Cream
Beetroot, Apple and Stilton Salad - Method
- Cut the beetroot into slices of around 1.5 cm thick
- Cut the apple as above.
- Layer the beetroot / apple slices alternatively in the centre of a plate (beetroot, apple, beetroot, etc).
- Meanwhile, heat double cream in a pot.
- Crumble stilton cheese into the cream and stir until melted and mixed.
- Pour sauce sparingly around the beetroot tower.
That’s it - a cold salad with a hot and strong tasting cheesy sauce. Enjoy!
January 21st, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Scott, I think this sounds really innovative and delicious! I’ll have to give it a try. Thanks for hosting Weekend Herb Blogging this week — I know how much work it is, and I’m looking forward to reading your round-up!
Genie
The Inadvertent Gardener
January 21st, 2007 at 8:15 pm
When I was growing up beetroot was always pickled - and I loved it.
Your salad looks lovely….but I keep thinking about it with the goat cheese….mmmmm. But then there’s the Hot Stilton….might have to try both!
January 21st, 2007 at 8:31 pm
I think it sounds like a wonderful combination of flavors. Plus, I like all those ingredients so I’m pretty sure I would love it.
January 21st, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Oh I love apples and stilton, but I am not sure about the beetroot.
Well, your picture looks so delicious to me: I think I’ll give it a try :o))
greetings from vienna
A.
January 21st, 2007 at 9:19 pm
I love the idea of this salad. I knew there was a reason I ordered several extra packets of beet seeds yesterday. . .
Found your blog through WHB. Looking forward to reading more of your delicious posts.
January 21st, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I like the way you form the tower display. It’s more interesting than just laying everything on the plate.
January 21st, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Yes — the contrast of the dark bread and the light sauce and the subtle colors of the apple are a suggestion of the contrast of tastes. Nice!
January 21st, 2007 at 10:52 pm
How serendipitous that you would post this just now … (can you tell serendipity is my word for the week?), because I just was thinking how little I liked beets until very recently, and now that I’ve found golden beets I’m falling in love with them. I just roasted some slices and am going right down to have them with some goat cheese! Thank you!
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:20 am
It certainly looks fabulous. I’m a great fan of goat cheese and the idea of pairing beets with it is awesome. Thanks for the idea.
Looking forward to the roundup. Thanks for hosting.
January 22nd, 2007 at 4:01 am
Genie: Thankyou very much - and you’re right - it is a lot of work, but worth it!
Katie: Well, both are delicious. Why not try both?
Kalyn: It is a delicious combination - but I’m just a beetroot addict.
astrid: Give it a go - you just might like it!
farmgirl: you’ll just have to wait a while for them to grow, is all
SimCooks: A tower of goats cheese and beetroot with balsamic vinegar drizzled around is equally delicious.
Mimi: Thankyou very much. But where’s the bread?
PatL: I’m off to Google to look up golden beets - to see if they’re really a different colour, or if I’m just daft.
Ruth: It’s definately something that’s worth trying, too. Hope you like it.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:25 am
Looks fantastic and I bet it taste that way too.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:06 am
peabody: Yep, it does. The same sauce works extremely well with Crudites.
January 25th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Wow - hot stilton sauce!! And a very interesting combo. But I have to say I’m not 100% convinced about the beetroot… I still don’t really like it (something about the texture is just wrong!) unless it is slow-roasted with EVOO and rosemary. But I suspect there are more beetroot lovers than haters out there
January 25th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Jeanne: Maybe we’re in the midst of a beetroot revival - I used to hate it too, but now love it!