Winter raw beetroot salad on a sunny day
In Greece and in Cape Town, we sometimes get these wonderfully warm ‘winter’ days. In fact, it is never hard to get through winter, because I always know that at some point the sun will come out. On these days, I really feel like making the most of the ‘summer’ weather, and usually get a craving for a fresh and crunchy salad.
In winter oranges are sweet and juicy and dirt cheap, as they are in absolute abundance. Oranges are everywhere in Greece in winter, and in Cape Town too, as they are grown all around Citrusdal, which is a couple of hours North West. It is the ideal time to buy a sack of oranges and treat yourself to freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast. I particularly love adding oranges to salads. Oranges also help ward away those winter bugs. Full of vitamin C and other important vitamins and minerals such as potassium, thiamine and folate, it really is important to eat them regularly during winter. They also contain a good quantity of fibre and are low in calories.
Beetroot is delicious raw
Today I was really in the mood for a raw beetroot salad. Beetroot are so versatile and super delicious roasted, steamed, pickled, marinated, the list goes on. One of the less common ways of eating them is raw. But I think raw is arguably the most delicious way of eating them. Thinly sliced or grated, they are sweet and crunchy with a slightly nutty, earthy flavour. Preparing this raw beetroot salad can be a bit of a messy job, so make sure you are not wearing your favourite white shirt! Ideally you should wear an apron that you don’t mind getting dirty, and kitchen gloves.
Natural protection
Not only are beetroot very tasty, they are also very good for you. They are very low in calories, high in fibre, and packed full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. They contain good quantities of folate, vitamin C, manganese, potassium and iron. The crunchy sweetness of the beetroot pairs well with juicy sweet winter oranges. If you are determined not to get sick this winter, then this salad is for you!
Raw Beetroot Salad with Orange & Toasted Seeds
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Ingredients
- 1kg beetroot, washed well
- 6 medium-sized spring onions
- 2 oranges
- 100g feta, cubed
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
- 3 tbsp. sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Using gloves and an apron that you don’t mind getting dirty, peel and coarsely grate the beetroot.
- Wash the spring onions well, and then slice at an angle. Reserve a few for garnish.
- To segment the oranges, use a serrated paring knife. Slice off the top and bottom of the orange, and stand the orange upright on your board. Cut the peel off, cutting from top to bottom and turning the orange as you go. Try not to remove too much of the flesh, but make sure you remove all the pith. Once you have peeled the orange, hold it on its side in one hand. Do this over a bowl to catch the juices. Cut out segments of oranges – cut just next to the lines of pith that divide the segments – all the way to the centre. The segments should then come off. Once you have cut off all the segments, squeeze what’s left of the orange over the bowl of juice. Reserve a few segments for garnish.
- Place the beetroot, spring onions, orange segments and feta into an attractive salad bowl. Pour over the orange juice in the bowl.
- Add the olive oil to the salad, along with the lemon zest and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a dry heavy-based frying pan and toast on a medium heat until they are beginning to pop and have turned a golden brown. Repeat with the sunflower seeds. Add half the seeds to the salad.
- Gently stir the salad together, taking care not to break the oranges and feta too much. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed.
- To serve, garnish with the reserved orange segments, spring onions and leftover seeds.
