BEETROOT, GOAT’S CHEESE + STONE FRUIT
PG tested
Beets and goat cheese are a classic pairing. When you add stone fruits such as nectarines or plums to the mix and dress them with a spice vinaigrette, there is an explosion of flavors like no other.
3 red beets, unpeeled and trimmed
2 gold beets, unpeeled and trimmed
5 ounces soft goat’s cheese
3½ ounces Greek yogurt Grated zest of ½ lemon Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ripe nectarine, sliced 2 ounces toasted pecans, chopped
Small handful of tarragon leaves
Spiced Vinaigrette
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon fennel seeds 2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 large shallot, sliced 1 large garlic clove, halved
3 tablespoons peanut oil 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 280 degrees.
Rinse red and gold beets, and with water still clinging to them place each on a separate sheet of foil and loosely scrunch foil around it. Bake for 1 hour, 30 minutes. To check doneness, pierce beets with a knife and it should slip in easily.
Cool beets and peel rubbing off the skin with your fingers. Cut beets into wedges.
To make vinaigrette, place spices into a small saucepan with shallot, garlic and oil. Over low heat, warm oil. After 6 to 8 minutes, the onion and garlic should turn golden.
Cool and drain oil through a fine-mesh strainer into a mixing bowl.
Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Divide vinaigrette into 2 bowls. Add red beets to one bowl and gold to the other.
In a bowl, mix goat cheese, yogurt and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Spread over the base of a serving plate.
Arrange red and gold beets alternately over yogurt along with sliced nectarine.
Scatter pecans and tarragon on top. Drizzle over a little vinaigrette from the bowls.
Serves 4. — Adapted from “California Living + Eating: Recipes Inspired by the Golden State” by Eleanor Maidment (Hardie Grant Books; May 21, 2019; $29.99)