These three vibrant vegetable dishes are very easy to prepare. They can be great on their own and also nicely complement grilled, baked or barbecued meats, poultry and fish. They are healthy, colourful, hi-viz even, and taste as good as they look.
While these three recipes are perfect accompaniments for our Christmas meal suggestions, http://www.thecoeliacsrevenge.com/our-blog/2017/11/28/the-main-event I’ve also served the fennel and blood orange salad with a whole, baked flathead. The warm, earthy beetroot dish uses both cooked and raw bulbs and goes well with Middle Eastern flavoured lamb. The carrot and goats cheese combination is, of course, a handy side dish for a main course but today I had it with a green salad for lunch. Versatile, vibrant vegetables, my kind of food.
Caren
WARM BEETROOT AND SEED SALAD
Serves 4-6 as a side dish to go with a main
1 bunch beetroot, 3-4 bulbs
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ red capsicum, finely diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Greek yoghurt
Cut the stalks off the beetroot bulbs, leaving about 3cm. Wash the beetroots and parboil 3 of them until just tender. Allow them to cool a bit. Cut off the 3cm of stalks and rub off the skins. Cut them into chunks and place them in a fry pan.
Peel the uncooked bulb and, holding it by the stalk, thinly shave it on a mandolin into a mixing bowl. Add the parsley to the bowl.
Dry fry the seeds and chilli flakes until fragrant. Set aside.
Add the olive oil and capsicum dice to the fry pan with the cooked beetroot and sauté until the capsicum is just beginning to colour, about 4 minutes. Tip into the bowl with the shaved beetroot, add the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and seasonings. Gently toss the mix.
Put the Greek yoghurt in the centre of a serving dish or make a decorative swish and place the beetroot mix on or around the yoghurt. Sprinkle the seed mix over the salad and add an extra dash of virgin olive oil.
DUTCH CARROTS TOPPED WITH FRESH GOATS CHEESE
Serves 4 as a side dish to go with a main
1 bunch Dutch carrots, peeled
Water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon chardonnay vinegar
50 gm soft goats cheese, crumbled
¼ bunch green onions, trimmed and finely sliced
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt to taste
Prepare the carrots by removing most of the stalks and then wash and peel them.
Place the carrots in a wide fry pan and add enough water to almost cover them. Cook over medium heat until most of the water has evaporated. The carrots need to be just tender as a bit of bite is desirable.
Remove the carrots to a serving dish. Splash over the oil and vinegar, top with the cheese, sliced green onions, pepper and salt.
FENNEL AND RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT SALAD
Serves 4 as a side dish to go with a main
1 fennel bulb, trimmed
2 small ruby red grapefruit
1 cup young spinach leaves, washed and dried
½ handful each of coriander and mint, washed and dried, roughly torn
1 tablespoon pistachios, toasted and roughly crushed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Using a mandolin, finely shave the fennel into a mixing bowl.
Cut the peel and all the pith off the grapefruit. Over a small bowl so you can retain the juices, segment the grapefruit, removing the membranes between each segment as you proceed.
Gently toss the fennel, grapefruit segments, spinach, herbs, pistachios and oil in the mixing bowl. Add enough of the reserved juice to making a dressing. Season to taste.