A simple to prepare, healthy, no-meat salad. Join the green gourmets and discover the joys of veggie food.
Ingredients
- 250g shallots
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Bunch of small raw beetroots, leaves reserved to serve
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 75g walnut pieces
- 350g baby spinach, washed and dried
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced
For the pink peppercorn dressing
- 1 tsp dried pink peppercorns
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 5 tbsp medium olive oil
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/ gas 5. Toss the shallots with half the oil and a sprinkling of sea salt in a roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes.
- 2. Meanwhile, put the beetroots into a saucepan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until just cooked, then drain and pop out of their skins.
- 3. After 30 minutes, add the garlic to the roasting shallots, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and roast for a further 10 minutes. Add the beetroots and walnuts, toss to coat in the oil and roast until the garlic is golden – a further 5-10 minutes.
- 4. Put the spinach in a large salad bowl and scatter with the fennel.
- 5. To make the dressing, crush the peppercorns and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and mix in the vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil a little at a time.
- 6. Spoon the shallots, garlic, walnuts and beetroots onto the spinach and fennel, and pour over the dressing. Add the beetroot leaves, toss everything well and serve warm.
Nutritional info
Per serving (based on 4): 392cals, 33.2g fat (3.9g saturated), 8.5g protein, 16g carbs, 13.2g sugar, 0.8g salt
Chef's tip
If you can’t find raw beetroot, use cooked baby beetroots (not in vinegar) and just add to the roasting tin with the walnuts.