Matjes herring and apple salad

"I found this recipe long time ago in my cooking bible (Off Duty, The World's Greatest Chefs Cook at Home). John Williams's recipe of matjes herring  and apple salad on a bed of carpaccio of beetroot is so simple and tasty. Since matjes herrings are not available in all countries you may try to use a regular herring fillets instead."

Serves 5
Ingredients:
500g small raw beetroots
320g Matjes herrings (finely diced)
2 apples (cored, peeled, and finely diced)
1 tea spoon finely grated fresh horseradish
3 1/2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
100ml creme fraiche
lemon juice
80g mixed baby salad leaves (I used alfalfa)
1/2 garlic clove (crushed)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
5 1/2 tablespoons ground oil (peanut)
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs (chives, chervil, tarragon, parsley and basil) (I didn't use any of these herbs)

Preheat the oven to 140C. Top and tail the beetroots, wrap in foil and roast them in an over for about 45 minutes until firm. Allow to cool, peel and slice them very finely.

Mix the apples, herrings and horseradish together, add yoghurt and creme fraiche. Season with salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste.

For the dressing mix all the ingredients together and season to taste with salt.

Prepare 5 serving plates. In the middle of each plate place a ring and spoon the herring mixture into it. Remove the ring. Arrange the beetroot slices overlapping one another, around the herring. Toss the mixed leaves (with me alfalfa) with some of the dressing, then arrange on top of the herring. Spoon some of the dressing over the beetroot.