Apart from the slight downside of the bright red stains on the hands when preparing the beetroot, this salad has a lot to recommend it.
It can be prepared in advance as it needs some time for the flavours to develop. It will keep well, stored in the fridge for several days. It is versatile in that it can be eaten as a side dish with something substantial, rib of beef and horseradish would be lovely, or you can add something simple to make it into a lighter meal on its own; lightly dressed watercress, some soft curd cheese and some walnuts would be good. It also has vibrant natural colour which looks even better with some added flecks of green herbs.
Marinated Beetroot Salad
Enough for 6-8 as a side dish or as part of a light meal
2 medium sized raw beetroots, washed and peeled
1 tbsp Sherry vinegar or Balsamic vinegar or Raspberry vinegar
3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of salt flakes
The leaves from a small bunch of *thyme
*You could use chopped fronds of dill or chopped coriander or parsley, instead of thyme.
Use a peeler to shave the beetroot into very thin slivers – they will vary in shape and size but that does not matter here. The challenge is to try to use every last bit of the beetroot if you can.
Put all the slivers into a bowl. Add the vinegar, oil, salt and half of the thyme or other herbs to the beetroot and stir the whole lot together, using two forks to make this easier.
Cover the bowl and store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The salad should keep very well for at least 4 days.
Scatter the salad with the remaining thyme or other herbs before serving it.
See also:-
Beetroots Roasted with Herbs and Optional Carrots
