Pretty in pink: beetroot and watercress salad

For some time now we have subscribed to a weekly vegetable box scheme via Abel and Cole. The vegetables are almost always in peak condition, taste exactly as they should and offer excellent value for money compared with our usual supermarket. Whilst we enjoy the challenge of cooking with vegetables we might not ordinarily choose, we also appreciate the fact that vegetables of which we are least fond can be swapped for something else. 

One of the vegetables which I struggle with is beetroot. I think it harks back to school days when it used to be served cold, swimming in vinegar, alongside mashed potato. The way the potato used to go pink still sends shivers down my spine. I still find the sweet taste and slightly strange texture of boiled beetroot hard to stomach but I have recently been converted to raw beetroot. Mr Little Bit Greedy loves beetroot and gets quite excited when it turns up in the veg box as he knows that it is highly unlikely that it will make an appearance in our household any other way. He usually roasts them whole and devours them whilst I nibble politely on the smallest one I can find. On this occasion, however, I decided to take the matter into my own hands. Accompanying the beets in our box was a suggested recipe which also made use of the fabulous watercress that was party of this week's bounty and I thought that I would try it out.

The combination of the grated sweet beetroot and peppery watercress did work together extremely well. A little freshly chopped chilli and a handful of toasted pinenuts were good additions too along with a simple balsamic and olive oil dressing. Next time, a good few bits of crumbly goats cheese will make an appearance too. Crusty bread to mop up those pink juices was all but essential.

I loved this salad. Mr Little Bit Greedy was less keen. After tasting just one mouthful he looked at me in horror and asked whether there was orange in the dressing. Mr LBG has a severe hatred of orange (unless combined with chocolate and made by someone called Terry). There was no orange to be found but it was rather curious - the salad did indeed taste strongly of orange. Further investigation found the 'culprit' to be the beetroot itself which had a surprisingly orangey flavour. I know that orange is often paired with beetroot but have never eaten a beetroot that actually tasted 'orangey' before!

The recipe for the salad can be found over here and so I won't repeat it here. 

I am entering this salad into the No Croutons Required blogging challenge which this month is being hosted by Lisa over at Lisa'a Kitchen. The event requires participants to make a soup or salad which is suitable for vegetarians.

A riot of colour: purple carrot and goat's cheese salad

We subscribe to a weekly organic veg box scheme from Abel and Cole and recently we have been receiving some unusually coloured produce. First came a veritable rainbow of squashes (I don't need to eat another squash for some time), then the almost neon orange cauliflower and now, these little beauties:

Purple carrots.

Apparently this is the colour that carrots used to be before orange became fashionable. Word has it that they are also even healthier than their regular orange cousins - they contain the same sort of antioxidants as blueberries and can therefore be classed in the 'superfood' category. I have to admit that I do find them rather splendid. I love the way that when you cut into them, you reveal the orange inner core.

Rather than serve them up alongside an ordinary weeknight dinner, I wanted to make them the centre of attention in a dish that was as pleasing on the eye as on the palate. Although it was chilly, the sun was streaming through the kitchen windows yesterday so I decided upon a sprightly salad to eat alongside some crusty bread and cold meat for a light lunch ahead of a hearty roast in the evening.

I cut the carrots into ribbons using a potato peeler and paired them with a sharp goats cheese (feta would work just as well), some toasted pine nuts, chopped fresh parsley and a classic vinaigrette. The colour definitely plays tricks with the mind - I kept expecting the carrots to taste of beetroot (they didn't). My husband said the multicoloured ribbons reminded him of Frazzles. I suspect he was a little disappointed that they tasted nothing like!

I loved this colourful salad and would make it again, perhaps with a mixture of different coloured carrots and vary the nuts (walnuts or cashews would work well, I think).

Purple carrot and goat's cheese salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 medium purple carrots

50g crumbled soft goat's cheese

small handful pine nuts

small handful flat-leaved parsley, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp runny honey

pinch sea salt

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil

1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until starting to brown - watch carefully as they burn very easily. Transfer to a small dish and set aside.

2. Peel the carrots into ribbons with a potato peeler and place in a bowl. Crumble over the cheese and sprinkle over the parsley. 

3. Prepare the dressing: with a fork or tiny whisk, combine the mustard and honey with a good pinch of sea salt. Add the vinegar and whisk together. Add the oil and whisk until you have a smooth dressing. Season to taste with pepper and more salt if required. Alternatively, shake ingredients together in a sealed jam jar.

4. Drizzle over as much of the dressing as you like and gently and briefly toss together. Sprinkle over the pine nuts and serve.