Whipped Goat Cheese with Roasted Beetroot and Cherries

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Overhead shot of a plate of whipped goat cheese topped with fresh cherries, roasted beetroot, sumac, and tarragon oil.

This recipe is a light, bright dish that can be eaten as a side salad or starter. All the flavors beautifully meld together. Sweet and bright notes from the ever so slightly caramelized beetroot and fresh cherries, over a bed of tangy whipped goat cheese, and a generous drizzle of herby tarragon oil.

Photo of a plate of whipped goat cheese topped with fresh cherries, roasted beetroot, sumac, and tarragon oil with dark shadows in the background.

I suggest making the tarragon oil a day in advance as it needs time to strain through a cheesecloth beforehand, alternatively make it at least 2 hours in advance. You’ll be left with plenty of it, so you can use it in all sorts of recipes like this Iced Cream of Asparagus Consommé with Tarragon Oil or drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

Close-up overhead shot of a plate of whipped goat cheese topped with fresh cherries, roasted beetroot, sumac, and tarragon oil.

Then we’re going to kick it off by roasting the beetroot in a 200 C oven, I used yellow beetroot but you can use any kind you have on hand. Then we blend the goat cheese with a little bit of sour cream for a smooth and creamy base to counter balance the sweet vegetables and fruits. Next, we pit the cherries and slice them down the middle. And now all we’re left with is assembly.

Overhead shot of a plate of whipped goat cheese topped with fresh cherries, roasted beetroot, sumac, and tarragon oil.

Whipped Goat Cheese with Roasted Beetroot and Cherries

Ingredients

Whipped Goat Cheese with Roasted Beetroot and Cherries

  • 1/3 heaping cup soft goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream or labneh
  • 1 large beetroot
  • a large handful of cherries, pitted and sliced in half
  • juice of half of one lemon
  • 1 tablespoon buckwheat groats
  • 1/2 teaspoon sumac
  • generous pinch of salt and pepper

Tarragon Oil

  • 1 bunch of fresh tarragon, a few leaves reserved for garnishing
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. First make the tarragon oil. In a blender, mix together the olive oil and tarragon until completely smooth.
  2. Lay a cheesecloth, or a (very clean!) dishcloth over a sieve, on top of a container or bowl and pour the tarragon oil into it. Let it strain through the cheesecloth for about 1 hour. You’ll be left with the tarragon solids only in the cheesecloth and the concentrated tarragon oil in the bowl. You can choose to dehydrate the tarragon solids to turn them into dried herbs, or discard them.
  3. Preheat oven to 200 C.
  4. Slice the beetroot into wedges or cubes, coat with a little bit of olive oil, and lay onto a parchment lined oven tray. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes.
  5. Mix the goat cheese and sour cream in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.
  6. Toss the buckwheat groats in a hot pan and toast until golden. Set aside.
  7. Using the back of a spoon, spread the whipped goat cheese over a large plate. Scatter the roasted beetroot wedges and cherries over the goat cheese.
  8. Squeeze half a lemon over the salad, sprinkle a generous pinch of salt, pepper, and the sumac over it. Drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of the tarragon oil over it and garnish with the toasted buckwheat and reserved fresh tarragon.
  9. The tarragon oil should also be stored in an airtight jar or container in the fridge and will last a couple weeks.
Photo of a plate of whipped goat cheese topped with fresh cherries, roasted beetroot, sumac, and tarragon oil with dark shadows in the background.
Overhead shot of a plate of whipped goat cheese topped with fresh cherries, roasted beetroot, sumac, and tarragon oil.
Whipped Goat Cheese with Roasted Beetroot and Cherries
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