A simple, tasty salad – the sharp saltiness of the blue cheese works well with the earthy sweetness of the beetroot.

1 medium beetroot
½ pack of blue cheese – St Agur, Dolcelatte, Roquefort, whatever takes your fancy
a large handful of salad leaves
a handful of halved walnuts
3-4 glugs of olive or walnut oil
1 glug sherry vinegar – you could use lemon juice
½ teaspoon caster sugar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Place the whole beetroot into a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for about an hour until cooked through. Drain, allow to cool then slip off the skin. Cut into fine dice. Cut the blue cheese into similar sized dice.

Mix the oil, vinegar or lemon juice, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper together thoroughly.

Grab a plate or bowl and place the salad leaves in the bottom. Arrange the diced beetroot and cheese over the leaves, then scatter a handful of halved walnuts over. Drizzle with the dressing and serve on it’s own or with some posh bread.