Eat & Drink
Originally published on Tuesday, 27th January 2009
Roast Beet Salad with Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Makes enough for 1 large pizza
He wasn’t joking - the farmer’s markets in Los Angeles are serious business. As we walked through the stalls piled high with the most amazing fruit and vegetables I’d ever seen, my poor brain struggled with how strawberries and peas could be in season here in January when back in London I have 3 long winter months of turnips and Swede to get through.
This is my current favourite salad and one that I can't stop making. A mix of warm, roasted beetroot, bitter salad leaves, crunchy sweet and salty pumpkin seeds and a sharp, lemony dressing - this salad is a great way to bring a little colour into winter eating.
If you are able to buy beetroot with the leaves still attached, keep them and saute them with a little olive oil and garlic for a nice alternative to cooked spinach or chard.
Ingredients
2 small bunches of baby beetroot, ideally a mix of red and golden varieties
a handful of rocket leaves
fleur de sel or other flaky sea salt for garnishing
Candied Pumpkin Seeds
a large handful raw, hulled (green) pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp sea salt
Dijon Dressing
one egg yolk
1 tsp dijon mustard
6 tbsp olive oil
a pinch of salt
2 tbsp of lemon juice or more to thin
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Wash and dry the beets leaving them unpeeled.
Wrap each beet in foil and place in the oven to roast for about 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a skewer. Allow the beets to cool for about 20 minutes before handling. When cool enough to handle, unwrap the beetroot and peel off the skins. Slice the beetroot into thick slices or quarter any very small ones. Set aside.
To make the candied pumpkin seeds, place the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Toast the pumpkin seeds for 5-8 minutes, shaking the pan frequently until the seeds have all ‘popped’ and are puffed up and smell nutty. Sprinkle over the sugar and salt and continue to toast, stirring constantly until all the sugar has melted and the seeds have a light coating of sugar. Tip the seeds out of the pan and spread on a sheet of foil to cool.
Make the dressing by whisking together the egg yolk, mustard, oil and salt until the dressing is thickened and creamy in texture. Add lemon juice to taste or until the desired consistency is reached - the dressing should be just pourable and not too runny.
To make the salad, scatter the rocket on a serving plate and top with the slices of roasted beets. Sprinkle with a good pinch of the salt flakes and drizzle with the dressing. Scatter with the pumpkin seeds and serve.
Jennifer Klinec from Eat Drink Talk has kindly agreed to provide Urban Junkies readers with mouthwatering recipes and foodtips.
To learn more, classes at Eat Drink Talk are held in Jennifer's beautiful loft in Clerkenwell, packed with information and useful tips, and you'll get to sample all of the delicious dishes prepared during class.
In collaboration with Eat Drink Talk