Beetroot, Borlotti Bean & Pepper Salad
Serves 4
A lovely salad to have on its own or as a complement to chicken, simple based fish or crumbled feta.
Ingredients
1 bunch of beetroot
1-2 red peppers
1 tin of organic Borlotti beans
80 g of farro or spelt grain
A handful of cherry tomatoes
A handful of organic walnuts
1 bunch of dill or parsley
1 lemon ( zest )
2 tbsp of good quality red vinegar
5 tbsp of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
Set the oven to 180°C.
Wash the beetroot and remove the stalks. Place in a small ovenproof dish with a generous splash of red wine vinegar, the same amount of water and a pinch of sea salt. Cover with foil and bake for around 1 hour.
Spread the walnuts on a small tray and toast in the oven for 5–8 minutes. Take out and leave aside to cool.
Meanwhile, place the farro in a small saucepan, cover with water and simmer for around 25 minutes. The grain should still have a little bite to it. I use farro as it's particularly delicious and nutty, but spelt works just as well.
Drain and lightly rinse the borlotti beans and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, quarter the tomatoes, slice the peppers and chop the herbs. Either parsley or dill works beautifully – it's just down to your preference. Roughly chop the walnuts and add them to the mix.
To make the dressing, place the vinegar in a small bowl first, then slowly whisk in the olive oil. A fork will do just fine. Finish with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
By now your grain should be ready. Drain off any extra water and add it to the bowl. Once the beetroot has cooled enough to handle, peel and dice it, then add that too.
Mix everything together and add as much dressing as you like – you may not need it all. It's always nice to have a little left over in the fridge.
Season to taste and serve.
Tip
Farro has a wonderfully nutty flavour, but spelt makes an excellent alternative. Any leftover dressing will keep well in the fridge for a few days.