Simple salad: goat's feta and roasted tomatoes

I really love a freebie - I don't know what it is about getting free stuff but I LOVE it, naturally there is the freebie hierarchy; I don't care for the free anti-dandruff shampoos or pink glitter body wash that come in glossy magazines, I do however, care for genuinely good products that make my toes tingle because someone thought I was cool enough to splurge on. 

I got in contact with the people at Verlaque and asked them pretty please if I could try out their fynbos-honey balsamic reduction as well as their lemon infused olive oil. They sent me a lovely box filled with goodies and I'm trying out there reductions and oils with so many recipes - they really are fantastic. Thank you Verlaque.

I used the balsamic reduction with the salad I served as the starter at this months' supper club and it worked wonders.

If you're wondering where to get good goats' cheese in Cape Town, I got mine from 'Get Stuffed' - they are a superb little shop on Lower Main Rd and their assistants are really helpful.

 

Salad of Wild rocket, goat's cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes

Ingredients: (serves 4)

• 1-2 packets wild rocket (you want a good handful per person)
• 100g goats' feta 
• 250g cherry tomatoes*
• 100g raw almonds
• 1 T honey
• juice of 1 lemon
• 50ml olive oil
• Verlaque Fynbos & honey Balsamic reduction

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180*C.
2. Put tomatoes in a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, pop them in the oven and bake for 45 min. Remove and allow to cool. (You can even do this the day before.)
3. Put a non-stick pan on med-high heat, throw in the almonds and toss until lightly browned, add honey and toss to coat all the nuts - lay out on a metal tray (or non-stick mat if you have one) to cool, then roughly chop.
4. Wash and dry rocket.
5. Mix together lemon, olive oil and the juices from the tomatoes and coat the rocket in this dressing.
6. Assemble by placing a handful of rocket on each plate, followed by goats' cheese, tomatoes and almonds. 
7. Drizzle a little verlaque balsamic reduction over each and serve.

*If you're not a fan of tomatoes you can use beetroot instead - Top and tail and scrub 4 small beetroots, cut them into wedges (about 6 per beet), then roast until softened in the same way as the tomatoes.