Rainbow superfood salad
ALLEGRA McEvedy's healthy salad makes a dramatic appearance on the table and tastes fab too. Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
3 medium raw beetroot, unpeeled
150g red cabbage, finely shredded
6 tomatoes, halved lengthways
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 small (about 600g) butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 3cm dice
2 cloves garlic, chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Half a head broccoli
3 tablespoons quinoa
250g fresh podded peas, shelled
3 tablespoons toasted mixed seeds such as sunflower, poppy and sesame
Small handful alfalfa shoots
French dressing, to serve
METHOD
1) Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6.
2) Put two of the beetroot into a small roasting tray with a good sprinkle of salt and about 100ml water. Cover with foil and roast them on the top shelf of the oven for about one hour, or until tender.
3) Grate the remaining beetroot and combine with the shredded cabbage.
Leave on one side.
4) Lay the tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking tray, season with salt and drizzle liberally with two tablespoons of the olive oil. Bake them in the oven for about one hour on the lowest shelf.
5) Put the cubes of butternut squash on another baking tray and roll them in a little oil and plenty of salt and pepper.
Roast on the oven's middle shelf for 45 minutes, then stir, moving everything around at least once during cooking.
6) When the vegetables are all cooked, leave them to cool but peel the beetroot while they are still warm and cut them into wedges.
7) Put another two tablespoons of the oil into a hot frying pan and lightly fry the garlic for a moment, swiftly followed by the mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper and the lemon juice.
8) Bring a small pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Cut the broccoli florets off the trunk, blanch them in the boiling water for a couple of minutes with the peas, then drain and run them under cold water until completely cooled.
9) Simmer the quinoa in the broccoli cooking water for 15 minutes before draining.
10) Layer the vegetables in a large serving bowl, starting with the quinoa on the bottom, then the cabbage/beetroot mix, followed by the broccoli and peas, squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, toasted seeds and the alfalfa sprouts. Serve with French dressing.
