Super simple blackberry and goats cheese salad

We’ve still got loads of blackberries ripe and ready for picking in our area, and also plenty of berries yet to ripen. Over the last few weeks I’ve been picking, cooking, serving blackberries in drinks and desserts.

For last night’s dinner party, I decided to promote the blackberries from to dessert to part of the main course. This was also driven in part, by the fact we’ve got a huge bowl of Bramley apples to use up, so a French apple pie was the preferred dessert option. 

I experimented with a blackberry and goats cheese salad, dressed with a pomegranate molasses, olive oil and black pepper. The salad was super quick, taking less than five minutes to put together. It was very well received by our guests, who expressed initial surprise at blackberries in the salad, but concluded that soft goats cheese and blackberries actually form a very good partnership.  Here’s the recipe.

Recipe

Four cups mixed baby salad leaves

Half a cup blackberries

50grams soft goats cheese

Slug of pomegranate molasses

Two slugs of olive oil

Ground black pepper

Mix together in a salad bowl the salad leaves and blackberries. Crumble the soft goats cheese over the top. For the dressing, mix the olive oil, pomegranate molasses and ground black pepper in a small jar. Shake it up, taste, and when you’re happy with the sweet, rich, peppery flavour, pour it over the salad to serve. Et voila! 

Violet Mustard - rediscovering a 700 year old regional specialty

Moutard Violette has reportedly been produced in, Brive, Limousin since the 13th century. A favourite of Pope Clement VI, who was born in the region, he apparently had local Vatican manufacturers prepare the mustard from 1265-1268.

Created from mustard seeds, over ripe black grapes, wine vinegar and spices, moutard violette is generally served with limousin beef, veal, duck or blood sausage. It’s also an excellent addition to sauces and is an excellent addition to vinaigrettes.

I used it this evening, combined with a splash of olive oil, on a garden salad with smoked salmon and green olives. It's a got a fruity, tangy flavour!