Carrot and Beetroot Salad

Brought to you by:

Soil Association

4 serving

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 4 mins

Serves: 4

A great seasonal salad courtesy of journalist, blogger and food campaigner Elisabeth Winkler. This vividly-coloured dish is more than pretty; it's packed with antioxidants too. Both carrots and beetroot have long UK seasons, but choose them hard and fresh for a salad.

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

600g carrots
600g raw beetroot
1 small bunch fresh parsley, when in season, chopped, or snipped salad cress
6 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp for toasting the seeds
50ml balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
50g sunflower seeds, (or pumpkin)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 sprinkle salt, to taste
1 sprinkle black pepper, to taste

Method

Step 1

Scrub the carrots and beetroot, and trim the tops and tails. Keep the carrots whole for easy grating. Peel the beetroot and cut in half. Coarsely grate the raw vegetables and combine in a large bowl. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours, if not serving immediately, then remove and dress 1 hour before needed, to bring to room temperature.

Step 2

For the vinaigrette, put the oil, vinegar, and garlic, if using, in a screw-top jar, put the lid on tightly and shake vigorously.

Step 3

Gently heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a small frying pan and toast the seeds for 3–4 minutes over a moderate heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add the soy sauce at the end of the cooking, if using. Most of the sauce will evaporate, leaving a salty taste and extra browning for the seeds. Store the toasted seeds in a jar with a lid if preparing the day before.

Step 4

When ready to serve, add the chopped parsley or snipped cress to the grated carrot and beetroot. Shake the vinaigrette again, pour over the vegetables, then season to taste. Toss the salad gently until everything glistens. Scatter the toasted seeds over and serve.