This is a great autumn salad, we think beetroot and damson are the perfect match both with their deep purple colour and robust flavours. Pickled damsons are an absolute flavour bomb and a sadly forgotten delicacy of Britain, they add an incomparable rich winey taste whenever they are used.
We will be pairing them today with apples and an unusual vine-like spinach we grow on our allotment but you could use and salad leaf you have. We will be using the pickling solution from the pickled damsons to make a dressing for the salad so the rich flavour of damson runs through the whole dish. A sprinkling of almonds or walnuts adds a nice crunch to the salad if you have them.
Ingredients (serves two):
- 2 small beetroot
- 2 heaped tablespoons of Pickled Damsons (about 10)
- 1 apple
- 1 handful of spinach or salad leaf
- 1 handful of walnuts or almonds (optional)
- 100g of goats cheese
- 25ml cold pressed rape seed oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 25ml Pickled Damson liquid
Method:
- Wash the beetroot and cut it into 2cm cubes
- Place on a baking tray with some oil and salt and roast in the oven at 200C for 20-30 minutes or until tender.
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Remove the stones from the Pickled Damsons and tear them into pieces
- Roughly chop the nuts (optional)
- Cut the goats cheese into 1cm pieces
- Reserve some of the pickling liquor from the Pickled Damsons mix it with oil, dress the salad leaves with the dressing.
- Arrange the salad at the bottom of the plate, and top with the goat’s cheese and apple
- Place the beetroot and Pickled Damsons on top and garnish with nuts and a splash of the dressing.
