BEETROOT SALAD & MOZARELLA

These beetroots are from my garden. I planted them during our Covid- 19 lockdown. For this recipe I used all the young leaves, stems and bulbs. I can say they are a tasty produce from my garden to your plate!

Ingredients for the Beetroots

• 8 beetroots
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• beetroots leaves, to serve
• mixed salad leaves, to serve
• Mozarella cheese
• Toasted hazelnuts, roasted and chopped roughly

Method for the Beetroots

• Put the beetroots in a large saucepan with the vinegar, the olive oil, the peppercorns, the bay leaves and salt. Cover the beetroots with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

• Reduce the heat and boil them gently for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are tender enough to be easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
• Using paper towels, use the palm of your hands and gently smash the beetroots just enough to flatten them on a plastic board.
• Brush the beetroots with olive oil and season with salt.

• Brush a large cast-iron skillet with olive oil and heat it over high heat.
• When it is hot place the smashed beetroots (you might have to do this in batches) and cook them for 2 minutes on each side. Let them blacken the char will give them the flavour.

• Transfer them to a pan lined with foil paper and adjust the seasoning.
• To serve, toss the young beetroot greens and mixed greens, place a handful of this mixture on each plate.
• Place the smashed beetroots alongside the greens. Tear the Mozzarella cheese over the beetroots and sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts.
• Finally drizzle the vinaigrette.

Method for the vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

• To make the vinaigrette pour 2 tablespoons vinegar into a small bowl and gradually add 6 tablespoons of olive oil until it emulsifies. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tips

• Some supermarkets sell the beetroots already cooked, this saves time and makes this salad very easy to prepare. Supermarket beetroots are really good and perfectly cooked.
• You can use other cheeses, such as goat cheese or Feta cheese.