Raw beetroot and cucumber salad

The other day I was on the market a bunch of raw beetroots. Normally they are sold individually in large bulbs, sometimes cooked.

The bunch had nice leaves which the greengrocer cut off, but I later learned that those leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A, and you can eat them raw or cooked.

The problem with beetroot is that it colours purple your hands and worktop.

It is however a vitamin bomb, an anti-oxidant and helps you eye-sight.

At another market – yes I do check out any market that I find on my way – there was a local grower who had small cucumbers, both with a smooth skin and a grainy skin. They can be used for pickles.

I combined the two into a salad, using a Mandoline slicer. I added caramelised shallots, capers and gherkin, plus fresh basil leaves and red pepper.

In this recipe the beetroot remains crunchy. If you want it tender you can marinate the beetroot in lemon juice.

Ingredients

• Four small beetroots
• Two small cucumbers
• Four small gherkins
• Three shallots
• Some capers
• Red pepper
• Lemon juice
• White wine vinegar
• Basil leaves

Steps

1. Peel the shallots, slice in cubes, put in a skillet with 1 dl of vinegar and 1 dl of lemon juice, heat slowly until the liquid has evaporated and the onion has caramelised.
2. Meanwhile, peel the beetroot and slice thin.
3. Slice the cucumber.
4. Cut up the gherkins.
5. Wash and dry the basil leaves.
6. Dispose the beet and cucumber slices on a dish, add the gherkins, capers and onion.
7. Decorate with basil leaves, add some twists of red pepper.
8. Optionally, add some lemon juice and/or olive oil.
9. If you have beet leaves, you can scatter some over the salad as well.