The Knobbly Plate

A veggie, foodie, photography site

cheese

A Vibrant, Fresh, Colourful Summer Salad

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A vibrant summer salad is a symphony of nature’s colors and flavors, a radiant tapestry woven with the golden glow of roasted carrots, the deep crimson of beetroot jewels, and the emerald embrace of tender greens. Each bite is a burst of sunshine, sweetened by the honeyed kiss of caramelized roots and the tangy notes of balsamic drizzle. Toasted nuts add a whisper of earthiness, while crumbled cheese melts like morning dew upon the leaves. It’s a celebration of summer’s bounty, a dance of textures and tastes that delights the senses and nourishes the soul.

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A Vibrant, Fresh, Colourful Summer Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Cuisine: European
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • * Roasted Vegetables:
  • * 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • * 2 medium beetroots, peeled and cut into wedges
  • * 2 tbsp olive oil
  • * 1 tbsp honey
  • * 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • * Salt and pepper to taste
  • * Salad:
  • * 4 cups mixed salad leaves (e.g., arugula, baby spinach, and watercress)
  • * ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
  • * ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans
  • * ¼ cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
  • * Dressing:
  • * 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • * 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • * 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • * 1 tsp honey
  • * Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Roast the Vegetables:
  2. * Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  3. * Toss the carrots and beetroot with olive oil, honey, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper.
  4. * Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and caramelized, stirring halfway through.
  5. Prepare the Dressing:
  6. * In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
  7. Assemble the Salad:
  8. * In a large salad bowl, toss the mixed salad leaves with a bit of the dressing.
  9. * Arrange the roasted carrots and beetroot on top.
  10. * Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese, toasted nuts, and pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries over the salad.
  11. * Drizzle with more dressing as desired.
  12. Serve:
  13. * Serve the salad immediately, either as a light meal on its own or as a side dish.
  14. This salad is a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors, making it an indulgent yet healthy choice for summer.

 

 

Borough Market

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The last of my shots from a very productive afternoon photographing in and around Borough Market in the heart of London. I was blessed with a beautiful late winter’s sunshine day. It almost felt like spring. I was amazed by the variety of produce from all over the world that was for sale. The guy who ran the tomato stall told me his produce was mainly from Spain but there were also varieties from Kenya and Uganda. The cheese shop specialized in cheeses mainly from right here in the UK but there were also varieties from France and Italy. The shop had a very heady aroma of fresh cheese. I wish however that we would all turn to produce grown right here in the UK and that we all ate seasonal vegetables. It would help our farmers no end and reduce the food miles of expecting to be able to eat everything all year round. Predictably the cost of all this pristine veg is eye waveringly high. I bought a kilo of heritage tomatoes and it cost me £6. I know these stall holders probably pay sky high prices for their pitches which influences their prices but I’m not convinced it’s a market where I would shop everyday for my fresh vegetables.

ROMESCO & CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

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Following on from my post about this glorious vegetable romesco. Here is a funky alternative to plain old cauliflower cheese. My Romesco & Cauliflower Cheese.

Well the weather has taken a turn for the worst today with nought but torrential rain and a cold wind. Not really summer weather so here is a comfort dish to keep you warm and cosy on these abnormal summer days. I must say though the ground does need the rain as it has been so dry for so long now. I love the vibrant green that the romesco brings to the dish and if you are wondering what it tastes like well it’s a cross between broccoli and cauliflower.


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ROMESCO & CAULIFLOWER CHEESE
Author: 
Recipe type: main course
Cuisine: British
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 Persons
 
Ingredients
  • 1 romanesco cauliflower
  • 1 cauliflower
  • 2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 500ml whole milk
  • A 100g chunk of Cheddar
  • 2 stale slices of bread
  • A pinch of mixed spice or chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large handfuls of watercress
Instructions
  1. Pull the leaves off both the cauliflowers. Chop them into florets. Pop the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket or colander.
  2. Pour boiling water into a steamer or pan. Pop the basket or colander above the hot water. Cover. Steam for 15-20 mins till the cauliflower is tender. Drain and tip into an ovenproof dish. Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
  3. Mash the butter and flour together with a fork. Pour 500ml milk into a pan. Bring to the boil. Stir the milk now and then to stop it burning. Take off the heat. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, a little at a time, till it’s all combined and smooth.
  4. Put the pan back on the heat. Bring to the boil. Whisk and simmer for 2 mins till the sauce is thick. Take off the heat.
  5. Coarsely grate the Cheddar. Stir two-thirds of it into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the cauliflowers.
  6. Blitz or grate the stale bread till you have a 25g batch of breadcrumbs. Mix the breadcrumbs with a pinch of mixed spice or cayenne pepper and the remaining cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the cauliflower. Bake for 20 mins till golden and bubbling.
  7. While the cauliflower cheese bakes, whisk the balsamic vinegar with ½ tbsp olive oil and a little salt and pepper.
  8. Rinse the watercress. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Pop into a bowl. Add the balsamic dressing. Toss to mix. Serve the salad with the cauliflower cheese.

 

QUICK ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

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In the second of my articles on “Everyday & Sunday” I am going to look at that perennial favourite, cauliflower cheese. For some reason since time began there always seems to be a version of cauliflower cheese in every vegetarian based cookbook. I should point out though that Everyday and Sunday is not strictly a veggie cookbook but it does contain mostly vegetarian dishes.


So what did we here at Knobbly Plate like about this recipe. Well first of all it definitely fits in with the affordable bit. The whole dish cost just £6.32 to make and there was easily enough for 4 people. That’s just £1.58 a portion for this classic comfort food. The most expensive ingredient was the gruyere cheese at £2.87 so it’s possible to make the dish even cheaper by substituting that for a mild cheddar which would probably halve the cost of the cheese.

The dish was simple enough to prepare but we found that the roasting part of ths cauliflower took double the amount of time it said on the recipe. Next and this is a personal preference I like my mustard so I doubled the amount to give it a bit more zing.
Taking all this into account it was a passable version of cauliflower cheese. I think however the one big change I would make in future would be to par boil the cauliflower first as we found the roasted version just a tad chewy. I would however say that if you have had a long day at work and can’t really face cooking then this version is definitely quick and easy to get from cupboard to plate.

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QUICK ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Course
Cuisine: british
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 Persons
 
Ingredients
  • 1 Cauliflower, Cut Into Florets
  • 1 tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Caster Sugar
  • 250g Creme Fraiche
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 100g Gruyere Cheese
Instructions
  1. Toss the cauliflower in the oil and sugar and roast for 20 mins at gas mark 6
  2. Mix all the other ingredients into a bowl with the grated gruyere.
  3. Toss the roasted cauliflower in the mixture.
  4. Place in an oven proof dish and scatter some grated gruyere over the top and roast in a hot oven until golden and bubbling.