Almond-Rolled Goats’ Cheese

Ingredients:

For the beetroot:

250g fresh beetroot
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
75ml olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For the goats’ cheese:

Vegetable oil, for deep frying
200g soft goats’ cheese
75g flour, plain
200g almonds, flaked

For the dressing:

200g fresh basil leaves
75g almonds, smoked
1 garlic clove
100g parmesan cheese (or other vegetarian hard cheese)
100ml oz olive oil
Small handful watercress, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

2. To prepare the beetroot, cut the beetroot into cubes and place into a bowl. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle with the olive oil.

3. Place onto a baking tray and transfer to the oven to roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it becomes soft.

4. Remove from the oven and place into a bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and stir to coat.

5. To prepare the goats’ cheese, half-fill a deep, heavy-bottomed pan with the oil and heat, until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. Do not leave unattended.

6. Cut the goats’ cheese into eight equal pieces and roll up into balls. Dredge the balls in the flour.

7. Spread the flaked almonds out on a plate. Roll the cheese balls in the flaked almonds, pressing them into the cheese to completely coat.

8. Carefully add the cheese balls to the hot oil. Deep-fry for about 30 seconds to one minute, or until they are golden-brown all over. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain onto kitchen paper.

9. To prepare the dressing, place the basil, smoked almonds, garlic, parmesan and olive oil into a food processor. Blend until smooth.

10. To serve, put a small amount of watercress onto each plate, and top with a piece of deep-fried goats’ cheese. Place a few cubes of beetroot around the cheese and spoon over a little of the dressing.

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