Watercress and beetroot salad with goat's feta and pecans
“Early Greeks ate watercress, which suits soups, salads and sandwiches.”
- 1kg beetroot, leaves removed and washed
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 1 small head radicchio, leaves separated and torn into 4cm pieces
- 100g goat's feta
- 1 1/2 cups watercress sprigs
Vivid green, very crisp and with a mustardy bite, watercress is the perfect partner to mild flavoured salad leaves. Dainty watercress sandwiches are de rigueur at posh afternoon teas and watercress soup is in the most respected cookbooks.
Method
Place beetroot in a shallow roasting pan, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp water and turn to coat in oil mixture. Cover with foil and roast at 180C for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and, when cool enough to handle, peel beetroot, then cut into wedges. Toast pecans at 200C for 5-6 mins. Cool.
Combine vinegar and remaining olive oil, season to taste and whisk well. Toss beetroot and radicchio with three-quarters of the dressing. Place salad on a large plate and scatter with feta and pecans. Toss watercress with rest of dressing and scatter over beetroot salad. Serve immediately.
Serves 4