Beetroot Salad, Lentils, Goats Curd, Apple, Walnuts by Massimo Mele
- Cook time: 1hour45mins
- Serves: 4
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 4 medium sized beetroots left whole
- 100ml olive oil
- ¼ tsp all spice
- ½ tsp thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt
- White pepper
- 100g French lentils
- 50ml red wine vinegar
Salad Ingredients:
- 5 spring onions finely chopped
- Handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 6 mint leaves, chopped
- 1-tab lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 100g goats curd
- ½ cup walnut meat
- ½ granny smith apple cut into sticks
Method
- Preheat oven to 180deg, roast beetroot individually wrapped in foil for about an hour. They need to be soft enough to easily insert a skewer.
- When cool enough to handle, peel the beetroot and cut into chucks or cubes.
- Combine the olive oil, vinegar, all spice, thyme and bay leaf in a bowl, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the beetroot and leave to marinate for at least an hour.
- Put the lentils into a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil then strain immediately. Cover with cold water again and bring back to boil and simmer 15 minutes or until tender, drain.
- For the walnuts, pre heat over to 180d, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool
- When almost ready to serve, toss the lentils with the spring onions, parsley, mint, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon to lift the beetroot out of the marinade, then mix in with the lentils. Lay the lentil, beetroot mixture on the plate, top with apple, walnuts and drizzle some beetroot marinade juices around the plate for extra sharpness.
