Watercress and Goats Cheese roulade

Watercress & Goats Cheese Roulade

In response to National Vegetarian Week (23rd to 29^th May) I am celebrating seasonal vegetables in this issue of Cotswold Style.  Being one of that particular breed of carnivore that absolutely adores vegetarian food, I could quite happily eat non-meat based meals almost every day, if it were not for the men of the household.  Whenever I serve up a simple pasta dish, perhaps with mushrooms, wilted spinach and pine nuts, their little carnivorous faces crumple up, as if I were depriving them of essential nourishment and their god given right to eat delicious animals at every meal.  Yet once they taste my veggie options, all memory of flesh is quickly forgotten.  And lest we forget, vegetarian meals are usually quite cost effective; I almost cry at the cost of good meat nowadays.

 I was sorely tempted to share a curry recipe, but at the time of writing the weather has been so gloriously warm and forgiving, I am feeling the urge to eat al fresco whenever possible.  I therefore want to praise my favourite brassica; good old-fashioned Watercress.  It’s the King of Superfoods; a truly nutritious vegetable packed with vitamins A and C, magnesium, iron, calcium and folic acid.

This wonderfully refreshing recipe can be eaten as a light lunch, a dinner party starter or as picnic food:  it’s a colourful Watercress and Goats Cheese Roulade.   Deceptively simple to make,  but very impressive on the plate.  Serve with a Watercress,  or a Red Pepper sauce, alongside some buttered Jersey Royal Potatoes which are at the peak of their short season right now.  

Serves: 4

Ingredients: Roulade

100g bag of watercress

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoon crème fraîche

4 fresh medium sized eggs, separated

Ingredients: Filling

250g tub of ricotta

150g goats cheese, cubed into small pieces

2 peppers; one red, one yellow; roasted, skinned, de-seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Sea salt and ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C /Gas6. Line a Swiss roll tin (approx 38cm x 25cm / 15” x 10 “) with baking parchment or a silicon sheet.

To make the roulade, pop the watercress and garlic into a processor and whizz into a rough paste, then add into a mixing bowl with egg yolks and crème fraîche.  Mix all together and season. Then whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold gently into the watercress mix.

Spread the roulade mix evenly onto the parchment covered tin and bake for 10 minutes until golden. The texture will be similar to a light omelette or fluffy crepe.  Remove from the oven and cool.

To make the filling, mix the ricotta, goats cheese, red and yellow peppers, and chopped herbs together and season well.

When the roulade is cold, flip it over onto fresh baking parchment and peel away the old baking parchment from the roulade. If the roulade does not slip off with ease, simply slide a palate knife carefully underneath the roulade first.

Spread the cheese filling from the (short) edge facing you over the top of the roulade, leaving a small gap on the other 3 edges.  Gently roll up, then wrap in cling film to refrigerate before serving.

Voila ! A vegetarian sensation, as pretty as a picture.