Boy, was I inspired by the Market this week-end and I came up with this salad. The sweetness of the beets is nicely complemented by the tanginess of the goat cheese and the acidity of the lemon juice. It was just perfectly balanced.

I cooked the beets individually wrapped in foil on the barbecue and it took half the time it usually takes in the oven. I was also lucky to find fresh goat cheese from a local farmer and it was exceptionally exquisite. I hope you will enjoy this as much as we did.

Ingredients:

2 or 3 beets, cooked and peeled
1 handful fresh basil leaves, grossly torn
1 handful fresh mint leaves, grossly torn
1 handful fresh dill leaves
1 handful pea shoots (mine are from Butterfly Sky Farms)
1 handful frisée
1 tbsp goat cheese per person
fleur de sel and black pepper
the juice of 1/4 to 1/2 lemon
good extra-virgin olive oil

Special equipment:

Mandolin

Method:

1. Slice the beets on the mandolin and arrange nicely on a plate slightly overlapping. Season with fleur de sel, pepper and a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Prepare the herb salad: in a big bowl, put all the leaves and lettuces and mix well with clean hands. Very slowly add olive oil, continuously mixing with one hand until all the leaves are lightly coated. Add the lemon juice, a little at a time, mixing non-stop and tasting as you go along to get just the right amount of acidity. The lemon should not be overpowering as the herbs are the star of this salad. Season with fleur de sel and pepper.
3. Take a big handful of the herb salad and form a ball with your hands. Place on top of the beets.
4. With two tablespoons, form the goat cheese quenelle and place next to the salad. Serve as is or with crusty bread on the side.

Serves two hungry people as an appetizer.

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