Beets with Goat’s cheese Towers

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 people

Can be made in advance

This is a quick and easy to prepare tasty starter. It looks colourful and the goat’s cheese and beetroot combine well.

Beets as a hot vegetable is generally unappreciated but as an accompaniment it is great with red meat and poultry. When buying raw beets look for firm, unblemished roots with fresh leaves. Handle beets carefully. If the skin is broken they will bleed, losing its sweetness and colour. Store the unwashed beets in the refrigerator in an open bag.

Beets work well with cucumbers, potatoes, apples, pears, sausages, balsamic vinegar, sour cream, oranges, mustard, horseradish, soy sauce, lime and mint – just a few ideas for a change. They can be steamed, boiled or roasted or even grated and eaten raw.

On a healthy note, beets are rich in complex carbohydrates, vitamin C and potassium. They have a moderate amount of protein and sodium are also low in fat.

Ingredients

Method

1) Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
2) Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Sauté the onions with the brown sugar on a low light with the lid on for 25 minutes so that they are sweet and golden. (Burnt onions taste bitter!)
3) Heat the broiler to its highest setting.
4) Make a goats cheese tower by placing a round of goats cheese followed by a round of beets on a baking tray. Do this twice more and secure with a cocktail stick. Sit a grape tomato at the end of the stick.
5) Put under the hot broiler for 5 minutes or until just melting.
6) Reheat the onions so they are warm.

To serve the stylish way: Place the caramelised onions in a circle on the plate and the rucola leaves around the outer layer. Sit a beet and goats cheese tower in the centre.

For further information please contact:

Denise's Kitchen
Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2HD