A winning combo: Earthy beets, creamy blue cheese, crunchy toasted nuts, and a pop of peppery rocket.

This roasted beet salad is one of those dishes that feels fancy but is ridiculously easy to throw together. praised by many chefs this combination of earthy beets, creamy blue cheese, crunchy toasted nuts, and a pop of peppery rocket (or arugula)—it’s a great combo. Perfect as a starter or a light lunch, it’s got just enough flair to impress without making you break a sweat. Plus, you’ll discover the technique of marinating the beets for a short time in aged red wine vinegar which gives a pleasant tang to the salad.

 Serves 2 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 1 HOUR 5 MIN

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium beets unpeeled

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 25g (1 oz) walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

• 50g (1.75 oz) Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort, or other salty blue cheese, crumbled

• 1 tbsp rocket leaves (arugula)

• 2 tbsp good-quality red wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

MISE EN PLACE

Toast the nuts in the oven for 5 minutes at 180°C (355°F), then roughly chop. Wash the rocket leaves and keep them moist in the fridge.

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the beets with 1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, then wrap them individually in foil. Roast for about 1 hour, or until a knife slides through easily. Once cooled, peel the beets by rubbing off the skin with your hands or a paper towel.

Cut the beets into medium slices and place in a small bowl. Drizzle with the red wine vinegar and leave to macerate for 15 minutes at room temperature.

When ready to plate, arrange the beet slices on a serving plate. Scatter the rocket leaves on top, followed by the toasted nuts and crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.