Dame Cathy Sloman
This is a delicious crowd pleasing canapé – you can make each element of which you can make ahead of time and then assemble at the last minute.
Ingredients
250ml white wine or cider vinegar
100g caster sugar
30g sea salt flakes
3-4 thyme sprigs
Pinch of chilli flakes
3 small beetroots (a mixture of colours if possible)
220g soft goats’ cheese
100ml double cream
1 tsp truffle oil (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
120g Parmesan
Chives or dill to garnish
Method
Peel the beetroots and cut into small, canapé-appropriate dice.
Heat the vinegar, sugar, salt, 1 sprig of thyme and chilli in a medium saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the diced beetroot and simmer for 10 minutes then leave to cool.
Blend the goats’ cheese, cream, truffle oil (if using), salt and pepper in a food processor or by hand till smooth and light, then transfer to a piping bag.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/170ºC fan/gas 5.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Finely grate the parmesan.
Pick the leaves from the remaining thyme sprigs and finely chop.
Mix the Parmesan and thyme, then place on the baking parchment in 3cm rounds, a couple of millimetres thick.
Bake for 10 minutes, then allow to cool on the tray.
When the crisps are cool, add a little whipped goats’ cheese, a couple of pieces of beetroot and garnish with a sprinkling of finely chopped chives or dill.