Carrot and Beet Salad

It may be cold and wet, but I still like a bit of salad from time to time. This robust winter salad is very satisfying, either at dinner next to something more substantial, or at lunch with perhaps a poached egg on top. It also makes a spectacular sandwich with a good wodge of avocado or maybe a little crumbled feta cheese. This week we ate it with a pea and potato frittata.

I adapted it from a recipe found at the delectable Chocolate & Zucchini. However, the original recipe was too garlicky and heavy for my taste, so I switched from nut oils to olive oil, and from vinegars to lemon juice, and tweaked the proportions of this and that. Now it is, to me, just right!

Carrot and Beet Salad - 2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated - 1 pretty big or 2 medium beet(s), peeled and coarsely grated - ½ clove garlic, minced - 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil - the juice of a lemon - 1 tsp Dijon mustard - 8 to 10 stalks flat-leaf parsley, chopped - a good handful of sunflower seeds - salt, pepper Place the garlic, oils, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper into a small jar. Shake it up! Mix the grated carrot and beet in a large bowl. Toss through the parsley and then dress with the vinaigrette. Mix well to distribute the dressing. Sprinkle generously with sunflower seeds, then toss again. Serve. This salad keeps well in the fridge for a day or two. It's the sort of thing my husband and I eat for dinner one day, then lunch and dinner the next. Adapted from a recipe by Clotilde Dusoulier posted at chocolateandzucchini.com. Picture shows the salad in a simpler incarnation, made with coriander and no seeds. (Local: carrots, beets, garlic, olive oil, lemon, parsley. Not local: mustard, sunflower seeds, salt, pepper.)