Beetroot, apple & plum salad with a creamy blue cheese, toasted walnut and an orange and balsamic dressing

Plums, Shawn Godfrey aka The Roasted Dad

  • This delicious salad recipe pairs well with ostrich or lamb, the rich earth notes and the sweet and tangy apple will bring about a delight to a dinner table.

Ingredients

  • 80g watercress
  • 6 plums, halved, de-pipped
  • 500g beetroot cooked, peeled and quartered
  • 2 large Granny Smith apples thinly sliced and cut into matchsticks (Quick tip, place the apple sticks into water with a 1 cup to 1 tsp of lemon solution to stop it from browning)
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 100g crumbled creamy blue cheese

For the Dressing

  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp fresh garlic
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 12 Tbsp of olive oil

Method

  1. Mix the dressing ingredients into a blender and whizz on high for 1 minute until creamy and fully blended.
  2. Set aside in a vacuum container in the fridge and chill for at least an hour.
  3. Spray a griddle pan with non-stick oil and heat up to high.
  4. Grill / char the plums, making sure to not overcook. The aim is to create griddle lines and char the one side of the plum for flavour but not cook through.
  5. Set aside in the fridge to cool.
  6. Toast the walnuts on a medium heat.
  7. Assemble your salad starting with the watercress, apple and beetroot with finally placing the grilled plums as the showcase on top.
  8. Add your crumbled blue cheese and the walnuts.
  9. Mix the salad dressing ingredients together and dress the salad with your balsamic dressing just before serving.