Goat cheese, strawberry and bean salad, with crushed hazelnuts and borage

Recipe by Rachel Zammit Cutajar

Photo by Rachel Zammit Cutajar

Recipe first appeared on Foodist

As soon as the sun begins to shine, raw vegetables seem like the only way to enjoy a meal. Make the most of what’s available at the moment with succulent strawberries and crunchy broad beans. I love to eat these raw but if you prefer you can fry them gently in a little bit of olive oil and garlic. Goat cheese and strawberry are a match made in heaven and sprinkled with some wild borage flowers, this dish will have your guests whip out their phones the minute it’s served. 

Goat cheese, strawberry and bean salad, with crushed hazelnuts and borage

Ingredients

• 100g goat cheese
• Handful mixed salad leaves
• 100g broad beans, shelled twice
• 1 carrot
• 75g faro, cooked 
• 3 large strawberries, hulled and chopped
• Handful hazelnuts, roasted and crushed
• Handful borage flowers

Salsa verde

• Handful parsley
• Handful basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 pickled cucumber
• 1 anchovy
• ½ lemon, juice only
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Water, to loosen

Method

1. Start by making the salsa verde by blitzing all the ingredients together in a food processor. 
2. Add the water at the end, adding just enough to loosen the sauce. Set aside. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, toss the salad leaves and cooked faro. 
4. Using a vegetable peeler, peel shavings of the carrot and add to the salad. 
5. Add the broad beans and the strawberries and mix well. 
6. Place the salad onto a large plate and place the cheese in the centre. 
7. Top with borage flowers and crushed hazelnuts. 
8. Serve with a side dish of salsa verde.