Beet, radish, and goat cheese salad

I love beets, maybe because I eat them roasted rather than boiled. The slow roasting of beets caramelizes the sugars, giving them a sweeter flavour. Beets come in several varieties, from regular red ones to yellow beets, candy cane beets, Di Chioggia, and other varieties that add lovely colours and flavours to the table. Beets are also a winter vegetable, and although they are now available all year round, I tend to cook with them more during the cold months.

This is a lovely recipe perfect for your Christmas table. The sweet beets were complimented by the spicy radishes, and the red-leaf lettuce added a splash of colour to the table. The soft goat's cheese adds a lovely creaminess that is enhanced by the healthy yoghurt dressing. This was a salad that disappeared fast and one that I enjoyed. This is a lovely salad that sets the mood on the Christmas table with its colours.

Like every recipe I have cooked from Diana Henry, this one is absolutely delicious. Subtle flavours dominate this meal, and the spices are balanced. This was my first Diana Henry cookbook, and after making a couple of recipes from it, I was addicted to her cooking. The recipes include flavours and cuisines from around the world, and her writing style is fun and easy. Like this recipe, the dishes are amazing and step away from the ordinary.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

1/4 cup Greek yoghurt

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt, to taste

For the salad:

8 small round beets, stemmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2-3 tablespoons sugar

1 medium radish, or 6 small radishes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large head of red lettuce or mâche

1/2 cup mint leaves, roughly torn

A good squeeze of lemon or lime juice

6 oz. goats cheese

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Wrap the beets in foil and bake for 45-60 minutes until soft. Cool and slip off the skins. Cut into wedges or chunks. You can boil the beets; however, baking is strongly preferred.

While the beets are roasting, mix the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar completely. Add the onions and allow the mix to cool completely. Drain the onions, which are now a beautiful light pink.

Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients. Taste and adjust salt. The dressing will develop a lovely garlicky flavour over time. Store in the fridge.

Add the leaves to the bottom of a large bowl to assemble the salad. Top with beets, radishes and onions. Crumble the goat's cheese on top and drizzle with the dressing. Serve immediately.