This goats cheese, caramelised onions and salsa verde recipe is my version of an Anna Jones vegetarian recipe. Most of the ingredients provide several health benefits, especially with my inclusion of pistachios and goats cheese.
Pistachios are made up of 20% protein, a higher ratio than that of most nuts. They also have a high level of antioxidants, healthy fats and can help with blood sugar, cholesterol and gut health.
Goats cheese is more easily digested than cheese made from cows milk. It’s rich in protein and essential nutrients too.
I’ve also used red onions which have twice as much quercetin as white onions and a staggering 14 times the amount of that in garlic. They can also reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, managing cholesterol levels and reducing inflammation.
And finally, you may not think of capers as bringing much to the table (pardon the pun) but, in fact, they are a source of calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamin K, which are all key nutrients for strong bones. Capers also contain rutin, known to help with blood circulation and preventing blood clots.
Ingredients
- 4 red onions, sliced
- Crosta and Mollica flatbreads or good quality alternative – you can also make your own
- 50g pistachios
- 2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped, plus 2 tablespoons brine from the jar
- a small bunch of parsley (15g)
- a small bunch of basil (15g)
- 1⁄2 a small bunch of mint (7g)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 8 green pitted olives, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 250g goats cheese
Method
- Slice 4 onions as thin as possible. Put the onions into a large frying pan and slowly fry in olive oil for 25–30 minutes until they are soft.
- Now turn the heat up a little and, if you are using it, add 1 tablespoon butter, then stir for a few minutes until the onions are starting to caramelise. Take off the heat, set aside in a bowl.
- For the Salsa Verde: Roughly chop most of the parsley, basil and mint. Add to a bowl with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons capers and 8 roughly chopped green pitted olives. Mix well, then drizzle in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Taste and add a little more olive oil or vinegar as needed.
- Warm the flatbreads, then pile on the onions, goats cheese, salsa verde and then sprinkle over some pistachios and the rest of the herbs.
If you’d like to know more about eating well for health, please contact me for a nutritional therapy consultation.
And if you’d like more recipes like this goats cheese, caramelised onion and salse verde one, please visit my blog page