BEETROOT

SHREDDED BEETROOT, CARROT AND NASHI SLAW WITH CUMIN AND LIME DRESSING

This slaw is all about the crunch factor. Summer parades frivolous soft leaves and ripe tomato salads, but come winter it’s time to enjoy the deep flavour, vivid colour and crunch of raw beetroot and carrot. Toss in the juicy white flesh of nashi and lightly splash with a subtly spiced dressing, and you have a salad to start or end a meal. It’s particularly good with grilled meat and oily fish.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes | SERVES: 6

CUMIN AND LIME DRESSING

¹ /₃ cup (80 ml/2½ fl oz) vegetable oil

finely grated zest of 1 plump lime

¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

sea salt flakes

2 medium carrots, scrubbed

2 medium beetroot (beets), peeled

2 nashi

½ teaspoon chilli powder

1 tablespoon lightly toasted sesame seeds

3 tablespoons finely chopped raw almonds (or walnuts)

Make the dressing by whisking the oil, lime zest and juice, and cumin in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste.

Shred the carrots and beetroot using a mandoline, a blade attachment on the food processor or vegetable turning slicer, and put in a bowl. Without peeling the nashi, halve, remove the core and cut into thin matchstick strips. Add to the bowl with the chilli powder, sesame seeds and almonds. Pour over the dressing and lightly toss.

TIP Black sesame seeds look striking in this salad.