Brunch: Twice-baked goat’s cheese soufflés with blitzed beetroot and garlicky white beans & cherry tomatoes

Brunch is my absolute, without a doubt, favourite part of the weekend, so it has to be delicious whether I eat out or in. The first time I made these gorgeous soufflés on my blog, someone commented that they were quite old fashioned (I prefer "retro")! So I’ve tried to drag them into 2011, with a little detour via Morocco!

I served this dish at a brunch 'n craft supper club I held a few months ago. Other than eating, guests were able to make gorgeous brooches, cards and cross-stitch thanks to Sarah (check out her site, Violet Iris) who runs workshops at the Create Place in Bethnal Green (heaven for creative types!).

The recipes are below and serve 6-8 people.

Twice-baked goat's cheese soufflés - check out my previous post for the recipe.

(fromStephanie Alexander's "The Cook's Companion")

You can make the soufflés in advance, and then do the second baking just before you’re ready to serve. They taste gorgeous and look impressive, but are easy tomake for a large group if need be.

Blitzed Beetroot (based on recipe from Moro East)

Youcan make this in advance and keep in the fridge.

400gcooked beetroot (if buying raw you can roast or boil it until tender)

1clove garlic, crushed

2tablespoons tahini

3-4tablespoons olive oil

2-3tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1tablespoon red wine vinegar

Combineall the ingredients, except for the herbs and vinegar. You can either blitz the mix in a wizz/blender or with a stick blender. Season well and add herbs and vinegar.

Warm white bean and cherry tomato salad (based on recipe by Donna Hay)

The garlic flavor intensifies with time, so you can make this up to a day ahead and warm through before adding the herbs and sumac.

4cloves garlic

2tablespoons olive oil

Generouspinch of dried chilli flakes

2tablespoons of salted capers, rinsed

2x 400g cans of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Approximately15-20 cherry tomatoes

Asmall bunch of parsley, roughly chopped

1-2tablespoons of sumac

Heata frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil, garlic, chill and capers andcook for about 5 minutes. Add the beans and the tomatoes, squashing/burstingthe tomatoes as you add them (alternatively you could roast the tomatoes in theoven for 20 minutes first). Cook for about 10 minutes. The salad is nice warm,rather than hot, so you can leave it for 10-15 minutes before serving. Whenready to serve, add parsley, sumac and season well.

To serve

Iserved this brunch with freshly baked flatbreads, but you could also pop some brown pita bread in the toaster and drizzle it with olive oil and salt.

Oneach plate, place a soufflé and a little cream from the baking dish. Add agenerous spoonful of the bean salad, and finish with a dollop of blitzed beetroot and triangles of bread.

Enjoy!