Hot Beetroot and Baby Potato - a Salad
Baby Potato and Beetroot Salad
When I was on a holiday in Dublin, in the summer of 2002, during the World Cup, I came upon a pleasant little restaurant near Trinity College where I was confronted with salad.
It appealed to me because it contains my two great gastronomic weaknesses.Namely the humble potato, and the noble beetroot.
So I went in and ordered the salad for lunch, I have not faithfully copied the original recipes dressing, but have modified to a dressing that I prefer.
The Ingredients
Ingredients
1kg of baby potatoes
10 - 15 small beetroots
5 ml of fresh parsley
5ml of mustard powder
Either
50 - 75 ml of fresh Mayonannaise http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Saucey-Touch
Or
50ml Virgin Olive Oil, Juice a small fresh Lemon, 2tsp of freshly chopped Sweet Basil
Combined in a blender until creamy.
Salt and pepper to taste
Putting it all together
In one saucepan
Scrub the baby potatoes well and add them to the stainless steel saucepan of boiling filtered water (the water should cover the potatoes). Bring the water back to the boil after the potatoes have been added, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook them for about three quarters of an hour, check periodically on the potatoes to see if they are cooked through.
In another saucepan
Cut off the stalks and leaves of the beetroot off, leaving about an inch of stalk, carefully wash the beetroot, try not to damage the skin.
Bring a stainless steel saucepan to the boil once the water is boiling add the beetroot. Make sure that the pot does not boil dry, add water as necessary boil for about an hour, and then check if cooked.
Skewer Method for checking if it is cooked
Use a skewer and press into each potato and or beetroot, if cooked, the skewer should slid into the potato/beetroot with only some slight resistance. The potatoes/beetroots should remain firm.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and pat dry.
Place the potatoes into a large serving bowl sprinkle the parsley and mustard over them and drizzle with teaspoon of Olive Oil.
The Beetroots should take about the same time but you need to check them.
Once the beetroot is cooked. Then under running water quickly clean the off the stalks, they should pull out of the beetroot, break of the root tips and peel off the skin, this should slide of the flesh of the beetroot. Add them to the bowl potatoes.
Mix in the desired dressing, and serve warm.
