Lentil, beetroot and goat’s curd salad with salsa verde

I am lucky to get White Lake Cheese goats’ curd at my local market – buy some online sometime and marvel in its light acidity and comforting creaminess. Otherwise, just cheat it by whizzing a packet of soft goat’s cheese with a few tablespoons of milk for a very similar result. Serves 4.

---

Ingredients

 500g small-ish beetroots, any colour, scrubbed and cut into 3cm wedges

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

A few sprigs of thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

Salsa verde, several large teaspoons each (see below)

For the lentils

300g puy lentils, rinsed

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove

3 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar

150g rocket

200g goat’s curd

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/gas 6. Arrange the beetroot wedges, garlic and thyme on a small baking dish, drizzle with the oil, season well and toss together. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the beetroot is tender and a little crisp on the edges.

Meanwhile, put the lentils in a small saucepan with the bay, garlic and a teaspoon of salt, cover with plenty of water and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Once cooked, drain and stir in the olive oil and vinegar and season to taste. Keep warm.

Once the beets are cooked, allow to cool slightly. Toss the rocket and lentils together and spoon onto plates. Divide the beets between the plates and top with big spoonfuls of the goat’s curd. Drizzle over the salsa verde with gay abandon, putting more in a beautiful bowl on the table for people to help themselves. There should be no stinginess of salsa verde, here or anywhere, it is a sauce of generosity and opulence.