| Roasted Beet Salad with Crispy Goat Cheese |
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Recipe Type: Salad
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 50 mins
Serves: 4
A wonderful autumn salad using the season’s sweetest red beets and artisanal Ontario goat cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 large red beets, washed and scrubbed
- 150 grams (5 oz) log of soft goat cheese + more for crumble
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cups (200 grams) panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- a handful of pomegranate seeds
- microgreens for garnish
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Loosely wrap washed beets in foil and place on a baking dish. Roast for 40 minutes or until beets are tender, but do not exceed one hour.
- Remove them from the oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets from the top. The skin should pull away easily.
- Slice them into thin disks and set aside.
- In the meantime, while the beets are cooking, beat the egg in one bowl, and place the panko crumbs in another. Season the egg and panko with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
- Cut the goat cheese into chunky slices, about 4 to 5 pieces, and reserve the rest for crumbles. Using a spoon, dip the goat cheese slices in the egg, making sure both sides are well-coated. Then, transfer to the bowl with the panko crumbs and coat both sides thoroughly. Gently tap away excess crumbs. Repeat until all cheese slices are coated. Optional step: you can chill the goat cheese in the refrigerator or freezer so they can hold their shape. It’s a nice step to take, but if you are pressed for time, proceed to cooking.
- In a small pan, heat your cooking oil to 375 F (190 C) frying temperature. The oil must come up at least 1-inch high.
- Fry the breaded goat cheese for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, or until the crumb coating is nicely golden. Then flip the cheese and cook the other side in the same way. Drain on a rack or on paper towels. Repeat until all of them are cooked.
- Assemble the beets in a circle, top with crispy goat cheese, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and reserved goat cheese crumbles, and garnish with your choice of micro greens.
- Serve the roasted beets warm or at room temperature, and the crispy goat cheese, warm. To reheat the goat cheese, place medallions on a rack set on top of a baking sheet. Broil in the middle rack at 450 F (230 C) until hot. Serve immediately.
