Roasted Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Salad

Beetroot is one of those vegetables that gets a bad reputation from the jars of pickled slices most of us grew up with. Roasted whole-ish, as here, it turns sweet and almost jammy, and it is nothing like the vinegary stuff. Leaving the skins on while it roasts is the trick. They keep the juices in, so the quarters don't dry out, and they slip off easily once the beetroot has cooled. Wear an old top or use a sheet of kitchen paper when you peel, because the colour gets everywhere, and your fingers will be pink for a day or so.

Beetroot is also a root that stores well. Raw beetroot keeps for a good few weeks in the fridge if you cut off the leaves first, leaving a short stalk, and keep it in a bag. Once roasted, the chunks will hold for a couple of days in a sealed container. That makes this an easy salad to plan around. Roast the beetroot in the morning or the night before, then assemble it when you sit down. The lemon juice and pepper should always go on at the last minute, so the rocket stays crisp.

If you are cooking for one or two, the leftover roasted beetroot is handy in other ways. Toss it into a grain bowl, or pile it on toast with a little of the goat's cheese mashed in. It also goes well alongside a bowl of smoky lentil stew with roast squash, where the earthiness of both vegetables sits nicely together. For something more filling, a plate of fragrant chickpea and apricot tagine makes a good partner, with the salad as a cool, sharp counterpoint to the warm spices.

Walnuts go rancid faster than you might think, so if your packet has been open for a while, give them a sniff before scattering them over. Toasting them lightly in a dry pan for a couple of minutes brings out their flavour and makes them more interesting against the soft beetroot.