Ingredients

• 110g/4oz free-range egg whites (about three medium egg whites)
• 700g/1lb 9oz table salt
• 700g/1lb 9oz beetroot
• 480g/1lb 1oz baby beetroot (a mixture of colours)
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• diced
• 75g/2¾oz plain flour
• 2 free-range eggs
• 75g/2¾oz Stilton
• crumbled
• 2 tsp aged sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ shallot
• thinly sliced
• small handful lamb's lettuce
• ½ head frisée lettuce
• 150g/5½oz Stilton
• 100ml/3½fl oz double cream

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
• Mix the egg whites and table salt together in a large bowl until the mixture forms a paste.
• Cover each beetroot in a 2cm/¾in thick layer of the salt paste
• ensuring there are no gaps.
• Place the salt-crusted beetroot on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
• Add the baby beetroot to a deep baking tray and add cold water to a depth of 2cm/¾in. Cover the tray tightly with foil and bake in the oven with the salt-crusted beetroot.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Once cooled
• crack the salt crust on the large beetroot and discard. Peel
• then thinly slice half and chop the other half.
• Peel the baby beetroot and quarter. Set aside.
• Heat a deep fat fryer to 190C/375F. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended)
• Place 125ml/4fl oz water and the butter into a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil for a minute.
• Remove from the heat and add the flour
• beating well until the mixture is smooth and comes away from the sides of the pan.
• Return to the heat for a minute or two to cook the flour out.
• Remove from the heat again and add the eggs
• one at a time
• beating well between the addition of each egg.
• Add the crumbled Stilton and mix well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter into the deep fat fryer and fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp (you may need to do this in batches).
• Remove from the fat with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Season with a little salt.
• In a separate small bowl
• whisk together the vinegar and oil.
• For the Stilton dressing
• place the Stilton and double cream in a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Place the quartered baby beetroots and shallots in a large bowl. Add the sliced and chopped salt-baked beetroot and almost all of the beignets along with the lettuce leaves and mix with the dressing.
• Serve the salad in a wide serving bowls and top with the remaining beignets. Top with a quenelle of Stilton dressing.