OVERVIEW
It’s not unusual to find fruit in savoury dishes, but strawberries are often overlooked. And yet their natural sweetness makes them a perfect partner for smoky vegetables, creamy goat’s cheese and bitter leaves. Charring the strawberries on the EGG softens the fruit and concentrates its flavour, creating a wonderful contrast with earthy beetroot and crisp little gem.
DIRTY COOK THE BEETROOTS
Set up your EGG for dirty cooking, with no cooking surfaces in place. Your target temperature is 220°C-240°C.
When the coals are nicely glowing, place the whole beetroots directly down into the embers. Cook them with the Dome closed for 30-40 minutes, turning regularly, until charred all over and tender when pierced with a knife.
Remove from the coals, allow to cool slightly and scrape away the charred edges. Cut into thin, horizontal slices.
SEAR THE STRAWBERRIES
Set up your EGG for both indirect and direct cooking, using the EGGspander System. Install the ConvEGGtor Basket with a Half Moon Baking Stone bottom right and a Half Moon Stainless Steel Grid top right for indirect cooking. On the top left, add a Half Moon Cast Iron Searing Grid for direct cooking. Add a 2-Piece Multi-Level Rack on top. The target temperature is 220°C-240°C.
Place the strawberries into the pan or skillet, drizzle with olive oil and sear for 2-3 minutes on the direct side until softened but still holding their shape. Move them up to the rack to keep warm.
CHAR THE SALAD VEGETABLES
Place the lemon halves for the dressing cut-side down over the direct heat until the exposed edge of the flesh is nicely charred, then take them off to cool.
Place the spring onions on the direct side, briefly sear them all over, then move to the indirect side to finish softening.
Brush the little gem quarters with olive oil and place on the Cast Iron Searing Grid for 1-2 minutes until the two cut sides are lightly blackened. Remove and set aside.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
Whisk together all the dressing ingredients, including the juice of the charred lemon. Arrange the little gem, beetroot, spring onions and strawberries on a large serving platter. Dot over pieces of goat’s cheese, scatter with herbs, then spoon over the dressing. Serve immediately while the strawberries and lettuce are still slightly warm.
