I love a festival – music, dancing, street food, and an ice cold beverage. I was inspired to make a Summer Festival Beet salad to celebrate the legendary Glastonbury festival in the UK –  music for your tastebuds!  This salad is my take on Paula Mcintyre- the cookery writer and BBC radio broadcaster’s  suberb beetroot, kohlrabi & grilled scallion salad that she demo’d at Borough Market, London on Thursday. It’s quick to make, tasty & healthy too.

Ingredients:

3 small to medium beetroots, I use different coloured ones (candy Heritage)

6 large spring onions (continental in UK, scallions in USA)

2 ripe but firm nectarines

1/2 a small celeriac

For the dressing:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons  runny honey

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

75ml extra virgin  olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Slice the spring onions (scallions) in half lengthwise. Keep the ends on whilst chargrilling to keep spring onions from breaking apart.

Brush with olive oil and cook on a hot chargrill pan just till you get the stripes and they start to wilt. Remove, cool and chop into strips about  3 cm/2 inch lengths, discarding the ends.

Peel and finely slice the beetroot with a sharp knife or mandolin, please watch those fingers!

Peel and chop the celeriac into thin matchsticks.

Halve the nectarines, remove stone and slice into chunky pieces leaving skin on.

I am listening to Hot Chip & Mark Ronson as a bit of electronic dance & funk helps me get into my chopping festival groove!

For the dressing just whisk the honey, mustard & vinegar until combined. Whisk in  the olive oil  and season with salt and pepper.

Add to the veggies and fruit and serve. Great with BBQ chicken -see yesterday’s post or  for meat – free lovers just add some fresh mozzarella or crumble some soft, young goat’s cheese on top.

Don’t believe it just munch!