So light and the mix of blue cheese and beets with a dash of walnut oil and white balsamic is superb!
Serves 4
2 oz good blue cheese, crumbled
1 oz cream cheese, softened
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup cooked and sliced asparagus, cut on a bias into 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium beets
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp walnut oil
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 400 F
Combine the blue cheese and cream cheese together in a small bowl and set aside.
Wash the beets under cold water to remove any dirt, then wrap them in a large piece of alumium foil.
Set the pouch on a baking sheet and bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 45 to 55 mins.
Place the heavy cream in a chilled metal mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream into soft peaks. Use a spatula to fold a small bit of the whipped cream into the blue cheese mixture to lighten it. Then add the remaining whipped cream and gently fold until no streaks remain. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
In a small bowl, combine the chives and white balsamic vinegar.
Slowly drizzle in the walnut oil, whisking continuously, to create a vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Peel the skin off the cooked beets once they are cool enough to handle.
Slice the beets very thinly on a mandoline or as thin as possible with a sharp knife.
They must be paper thin. Use gloves or your hands will be bright red!
Arrange 4 to 5 slices of beet in a circle or in a row on a plate.
Use 2 spoons to form a quenelle or football shaped dollop of the blue cheese mousse.
Set this in the center of the beets.
Sprinkle the asparagus pieces around the plate, then drizzle with the walnut vinaigrette.
Season with a final sprinkle of salt