Warm beet, chorizo & pear salad

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only

Combine succulent pear, colourful beetroot, spicy chorizo and buttery manchego cheese in this vibrant winter salad that's ideal for sharing with friends

Prep:15 mins
Cook:55 mins

Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 568
fat 33g
saturates 10g
carbs 37g
sugars 34g
fibre 9g
protein 24g
salt 1.7g

Ingredients

1kg mixed beets, leaves trimmed
200g chorizo, skinned and thickly sliced
100g whole blanched almonds (use Marcona if it's a special occasion)
2 tbsp membrillo (quince paste)
4 tbsp Sherry vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice, plus an extra squeeze
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large pear or 2 small firm pears (I used Red Williams)
small pack parsley, leaves picked and roughly torn
50g Manchego, shaved

Tip

Serving suggestions

The beetroot in this dish works really well with the salty, smoky chorizo and smooth Spanish cheese.This salad is wonderful to eat just as it is – serve with some crusty bread. It also makes a great side dish for a paprika- rubbed roast chicken or hake fillets. You could also serve this for a starter, topped with some fried quail’s eggs.

Method

Put the beets in a large pan of water (if you have a mix of colours, cook in separate pans as the colours will bleed). Bring the water to a boil, cover and leave to simmer – about 20-40 mins, depending on the size of the beets. Use a skewer or small sharp knife to check that they’re tender in the centre (try not to poke too often or they’ll bleed all their juices into the water).
Drain the beets and leave to cool in a colander. When cool enough to handle, peel away the skins, root and stalks, then roughly chop or slice the beets.
Put the chorizo in a cold frying pan and fry over a medium heat until crisp – you should collect lots of oil in the pan. Lift out the chorizo with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Tip in the almonds and fry quickly until just turning brown on the edges. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to dry.
Make the dressing by melting the membrillo in the pan with the chorizo oil, Sherry vinegar and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Mix in the olive oil and season.
Core and thinly slice the pear, toss with a little lemon juice to stop it browning, then arrange on a platter with the beets, chorizo and almonds. Toss together with the dressing, if you like, or serve the dressing on the side. Sprinkle over the parsley and Manchego and serve immediately.