Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
For the roasted beetroot:
1kg of a selection of beetroots; striped, golden and red
50ml olive oil
20ml sherry vinegar
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
For the salad:
400g roasted beetroots
Walnut vinaigrette
1 apple cut into medium dice (Granny Smith or Cox)
Aged balsamic
Extra virgin olive oil
20 whole caramelised walnuts
Beetroot salad leaves
For the goats cheese mousse:
200g goats cheese log
200g Greek yoghurt
8g gelatine leaves
75g double or whipping cream
50g apple cut into small dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the mousse, put the goats cheese and yoghurt into a food processor and mix to a smooth purée. Line a 35x25x2cm baking tray with cling film. Meanwhile soak the gelatine in cold water until soft. Bring the cream to the boil and remove from the heat, 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 set, lift out of the tray onto a chopping board and remove the cling film. Cut into small cubes, approximately 2.5cm allowing 3 per portion.
For the roasted beetroot, preheat the oven to 180 °C. Take a medium sized roasting tray and line with a piece of foil. Add the beetroots, olive oil and sherry vinegar, thyme, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Seal the foil up to cover the ingredients and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Leave the beetroots to cool and then peel them.
Cut the roasted beetroot into interesting shapes, dress with walnut vinaigrette and leave to marinate for 10 minutes. Mix some of the aged balsamic with extra virgin olive oil then take a spoon and drizzle some of this dressing into the bowl.
Dress your plates with three pieces of goats cheese mousse, surround with the marinated beetroot, add the diced apple, five walnuts per portion and a few beetroot salad leaves.
Recipes from Michael Caines, whose Cornish waterside restaurants The Harbourside Refuge, Porthleven, and The Cove Restaurant and Bar, Maenporth, bring an oasis of taste and visual shoreline beauty.