Deep Fried Cooleeney with Beetroot Salad

Extract from The Country Cooking of Ireland by Colman Andrews, with photographs by Christopher Hirscheimer. This is a popular dish at Brocka on the Water in Ballinderry, County Tipperary.

Serves 6

2 eggs, lightly beaten
90g dry bread crumbs
200g wheels Cooleeney or Camembert, quartered
475 to 720ml canola or sunflower oil
1 small head butter lettuce, julienned
1 recipe beetroot salad [see below]
1 recipe cabbage with ginger [see below]
1 recipe canned fruit chutney

Put the eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Coat the cheese wheels in the egg, dredge in the bread crumbs, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pour about 2 in/5 cm of oil into a deep medium skillet or heavy-bottomed pot and heat over high heat to a temperature of about 350°F/175°C on a deep-fat thermometer. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.

To serve
divide the lettuce evenly between 6 plates. Put the beet salad on top of the lettuce, dividing it equally, then arrange 2 cheese pieces on each serving of beets.
Top the cheese and beets with cabbage, dividing it evenly. Garnish with Brocka on the Water's Canned Fruit Chutney or another chutney, if you like.

Beet Salad
500 g beetroot [3 or 4], unpeeled
60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Put the beets into a medium pot, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 11/2 to 2 hours or until the beets are soft.
Drain the beets and set aside to cool slightly; then peel them and cut them into l-in/2.5-cm cubes.
In a medium bowl, toss the beets with olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature or refrigerate before serving.