Beetroot and blood orange salad with crispy buckwheat

So much of a recipe is all about the "elements" coming together. Skills we have learnt, things we have been given, inspiration we have borrowed all converging on the plate. 

This salad is a classic example of something borrowed, gifted and stolen.

A couple of month ago I went to my second Scarf dinner (pop ups that give young people hand on experience in the hospitality industry) and experienced my first crispy buckwheat in cauliflower dish. The texture was life changing and I had to make it! 

Crispy buckwheat
Ingredients

• 130g raw buckwheat
• 25g butter
• 10 g olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

• Add buckwheat to a bowl and cover with cold water
• Soak for 30 mins
• Drain and shake of excess water
• In a non stick fry pan heat butter and oil over medium heat
• Add buckwheat and stir gently as it toasts about 8 minutes
• When buckwheat is crisp and brown add balsamic vinegar and coat grains
• Take off heat and spread flat on a large tray to cool

I used my cast iron pot for the photo but prefer to use a non stick frypan the other times I've made it

The fermented garlic honey came from an episode of Andy and Ben Eat Australia where they visit The Fermentary in Daylesford which only encouraged my baby steps into fermenting.  The smell of the bubbling honey for any garlic lover is heaven and while I'm not a doctor, with an occasion teaspoon I've had no signs of man flu this winter. 

Garlic honey labneh
Ingredient

• 300g natural yoghurt
• 1/4 cup fermented garlic honey

Method

• Place a fine sieve over a large bowl
• Add the yogurt and cover with plastic wrap
• Let sit in the fridge for about 24 hours
• Place yogurt into a mixing bowl
• Add honey and combine

Salad Ingredients

• 2 small golden beetroot, boiled till tender and quartered
• 1 large beetroot, boiled till tender and diced
• 1 large candy stripe beetroot, boiled till tender and thinly sliced
• 1 blood orange segmented The blood oranges for this post were supplied by Redbelly Citrus
• 1 spring onion sliced on bias (diagonally)
• 3 radishes sliced thinly
• 1-2 tbsp garlic honey
• 1-2 tbsp lime agrumato olive oil (or olive oil with squeeze of lime)

Assembly...no allen key required

Spread a tsunami of labneh across a serving platter (I need a large black plate) or pretty much just put it on the plate 

Artistically arrange the golden beetroots or pretty much just put them on the plate 

Seductively drape the candy stripe beetroot or pretty much just put them on the plate

Joyfully scatter the radishes like confetti or pretty much just put them on the plate

Bestow the crimson sunset blood orange gems or pretty much just put them on the plate

Disseminate the grassy spring onions or pretty much just put them on the plate

Purposefully position the purple empire of beetroot cubes or pretty much just put them on the plate

Adorned with crisp salty jewels of buckwheat or pretty much just put them on the plate 

Delightfully drizzle with garlic honey and lime olive oil or pretty much just put them on the plate 

Find a gallery and display your work of art....Traditionally I find a table  works best.

An earlier version which is less busy and you could whip up with a tinned beetroot if you can't be arsed boiling fresh one. 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Finland

Good evening from the home of Lordi, Finland, our fifth country in this tasty tour of Europe.

No time to unpack we are heading straight to the Eurovision 1990 and the Finnish entry Beat with Fri?

While they have rocking hair Europe should be proud of Beat shared last place with Norway on just 8 points.

I am obsessed with beetroot in all it's many forms and shades, yes it doesn't just come in a can

.

In my Chow Down to Eurovision research I also found may forms of these Finish beetroot burgers, grated into a fritter/rosti or in slices.

I love them sliced as they are soooo good just on their own with sourcream but also on a bun with "the lot"!

Surely these must be a crumbed "superfood"...well you would probably have to use quinoa flakes and coconut oil to be a real "superfood"

Beetroot burgers (makes about 18)
Ingredients

• 2 long beetroots
• 2 eggs beaten
• seasoned flour
• panko breadcrumbs
• 300ml sour cream
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1 spring onion finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove minced (optional)
• Olive oil
• Parsley to garnish

Method

• Add beetroots to a saucepan of cold water
• Bring to boil then simmer till just tender (20-30mins)
• Drain beetroot and allow to cool completely
• Mix sour cream with lemon juice, spring onion, garlic and a pinch of salt
• Peel beetroot and slice into 1-2cm slices
• Coat each slice in flour, egg and breadcrumbs
• Add olive oil to a frypan, a good glug! (enough to shallow fry not deep)
• On a medium heat fry each slice for 2-3 minutes till golden and crisp
• Drain on paper towel and serve with an extra sprinkle of salt and parsley
• Top with sour cream

Give me a Eurovision dvd, a beer and a plate of these and I'm one happy fella.

This year Finland will be represented by Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät aka PKN.

PKN are a punk band and this has caused quite a stir amongst Eurovision "fans", claiming they are only there as a token, some even calling for them to be disqualified because their song isn't the Eurovision pop!

This is exactly why I love Eurovision, I get exposed to so many new and different artists.

Would you really want to sit through a night of 40 Carolas? 

It seemed to be that last year's message of tolerance, acceptance and the notion of being unstoppable was only applicable to women with facial hair.

I get the not everyone likes punk music and that Aina mun pitää may not be the best punk song ever or could the real reason for the carrying on be that people are uncomfortable with people with disabilities?

If you are so closed minded you can't spend 1.37 minutes of your life listening to a punk song the producers of Eurovision 2015 have picked the perfect theme for you......

Build a bridge! 

Carly Findlay and I had a chat about Eurovision, inclusion and PKN prior to their selection.

Past Finland Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Finnish hot pot

2013 Rice Pudding

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Poland

Dobry wieczór, after a 2 year absence from Eurovision this is Poland calling.

This is Poland's first entry in Chow Down to Eurovision, so please let's make them feel welcome.

The inspiration for this entry came after listening to a talk by the amazingly brilliant Magda Szubanski on reclaiming fear. (It's a must listen)

During the talk Magda speaks of family history in Poland so of course while tweeting her it was magnificent, I had to ask her for a Chow Down to Eurovision Dish! (never miss a trick)

If you don't follow her on twitter yet, you most certainly should! @MagdaSzubanski She is one of the world's good guys and I'm very thankful for her suggestion though she may not recognised the final dish. (Did I avoid crazed fan territory? I tried so hard)

 

I have played around with the idea of the pierogi and it became almost like a porcini potato gem, the best of Poland and Australia.

 

Continuing today's Magdalena theme, Magdalena Tul sang Jestem for Poland in 2011 and while it has a touch of the single ladies about it, she came last in the Semi Final.

 

Perhaps next year they could send Magda Szubanski for guaranteed douze points
(I'm calling shot gun on back ups ok?)

 

Like languages with multiple dialects there seems to be endless variations of this soup, some that are allowed to infuse for days and even ferment.

 

My homage is  perfect for when you need a super changed hit of vegetables, ok so the gems are deep fried, but think of the antioxidants!

 

Polish Beetroot Soup with Porcini Potato "Gems"

Ingredients

• 3 beetroots
• 1 parsnip
• 1 swede
• 1 turnip
• 2 brown onions
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks, with leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. peppercorns
• 5 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 bay leaves
• Big pinch of salt

Gem ingredients (about 15 gems)

• 2-3 potatoes boiled, cooled
• 50g dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 egg
• 3-4 tbs. fine semolina flour
• Panko breadcrumbs
• oil to fry
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Add beetroot to a baking dish, splash with olive oil and salt and cover with foil
• Roast in a 160°C oven for about 1 hour till tender
• Make the stock in a heavy based pot.
• The stock will be strained so the vegetables can be quartered and added whole
• Heat a splash of oil to coat the vegetables and brown for about 2 minutes
• Cover with boiling water and simmer for 2-3 hours (can be left overnight to develop)
• Strain the stock
• When the beetroots are cool, cut into fine strips (remember one man's fine is another man's chunky so don't stress, just cut)
• Add beetroot back to stock, the colour will be a brilliant purple
• Heat slowly
• Season to taste
• Serve topped with parsley or herbs of your choice, mine is a bit light on herbs due to my love of purple, I don't want to cover any of it up!

 

To make the gems

• Cover the mushrooms in cold water, let sit for 30 minutes
• Pass the cooked cooled potatoes through a ricer (medium holes)
• Drain the mushrooms and roughly chop (liquid can join the soup or be saved for later)
• Add egg, mushrooms, pinch of salt/pepper and flour
• Gently combine, the lighter the touch the lighter the gem
• Shape into desired shape and coat in breadcrumbs
• Deep fry in hot oil for 1-2 minutes
• If not too big they will float when ready like gnocchi

Donatan & Cleo will shake what their mama's gave them in My Słowianie - We Are Slavic, a touch of the not single for long ladies!

Will they twerk their way into the final?

Powodzenia!

The Three Bs.......

The three B's beetroot, broad bean, and blood orange are an absolute triumph in my latest tiffin lunch box collection. Actually there should be a fourth B, Bliss......

The colours just scream spring, summer good times and hurry up stop typing and just eat me!

 

 
This recipe is for 2-3 (or 1 it's that yum)
 
Three B's Salad
Ingredients

• 4 spring onions
• Juice of 1 blood orange*
• 1.5 cups broad beans
• 50ml olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 small roasted beetroot quartered
• 4 radishes quartered
• 2 blood oranges* segmented
• 50 g soft goats cheese

Method

• Slice the spring onions (not too fine) and add to a mixing bowl with the blood orange juice
• Leave to marinate about 15 minutes
• Blanch the broad beans for 30-40 seconds in lightly salted boiling water, then plunge into icy water.
• Peal the outer shell of the broad bean
• Mix olive oil through spring onions and juice, season to taste
• Gently coat the beetroot, broad beans and radishes through the dressing so that they still hold their shape
• Gently add the blood orange segments
• Serve doted with soft goats cheese
• If there are any left overs the colour is great the next day as the blood orange and beetroot blend with the radishes and goats cheese

Notes:

• You can use tinned beetroot but for this I found it too soft. To roast place beetroot in a baking tray with a splash of olive oil and salt and bake cover in tin foil at 160ºC for about 1 hour till tender.
• Pealing the broad beans is to remove the bitterness of the outer shell but I don't mind the flavour so I leave some unpeeled for contrast in flavour and colour. 

 

 Really who wouldn't want to have that in their lunch box??

 You can go all fancy and try plating it master chef style and serve with lamb steaks. To be honest I prefer the look of it all together in the tin, I'm a simple kinda chap.

A tuna steak variation with boiled egg for a hint of the nicoise

 

*Redbelly Citrus supplied the blood oranges for this recipe. 

Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 - Moldova

I hope everyone made it through customs without a starring role in border security and is ready for the delights of Moldova. If you are a long time reader (first time commenter) to my blog you will be aware of my obsessive love of all things purple and my inability to not tear up at the sight of a grandmother. No seriously people we have been through this, you only need to say the words Maggie Beer and I well up.

So today is a celebration of both. For the grandmother we have Grandma Boonika, reportedly a neighbour/cousin of the band Zdob şi Zdub who they just had to bring along to the 2005 contest. I find her a true inspiration proving that you're never too old for Eurovision, there is hope for me yet. If you need me I'll be out the back practicing my little turns.

Now for the purple I found a Moldovan beetroot salad, that is so delicious with just the right balance of creamy texture and hint of garlic. You need to boil the beetroots but I suppose if you are "time poor" and don't actually like the people you are cooking for you could always use beetroot from a can. (Insert disapproving glare here) 

They placed 6th and I'm sure most of it was due to Gran.

 

 

Moldovan Beetroot Salad

Ingredients

• 4 Medium beetroots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 90g walnut crumbs
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt

Method

• Put beetroot into a medium saucepan and cover with cold salted water
• Bring the water to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 25-30 minutes till the beetroots are tender
• When tender, remove beetroot from the saucepan and allow to cool
• Peel beetroot (or leave skin on) and grate into a mixing bowl
• Mince the garlic in a garlic crusher and add to beetroot
• Add remaining ingredients to the beetroot and stir to combine
• Salt to taste
• Let sit for an hour or 2 before serving (or eat straight away it's still yum)
• You can also garnish with extra walnut crumbs if you wish

 

Moldova will present O Mie sung by Aliona Moon in 2013.

noroc!

 

 

 



Purple non people eater

I have a love of, well obsession but not to intervention level with all things purple. Most of my wardrobe is purple, the sofa, pens, soap, even my bin liners. My bedspread is purple which my dad gave me as a souvenir from his trip to Cambodia, I had asked for a purple table cloth. He swears the lady told him it was a table cloth, personally the double layer and the zipper were the give away that it wasn't quite right.
The garden has also not missed out on the touch of purple, beans, cabbage, beetroot, carrots, radicchio, there better be some health benefit in that much colour, maybe just not the same one.

One a good day I like to start with a vegetable juice, which should forgive any of the sins later in the day. One word of warning when you drink beetroot juice, remember you have so that when you go to the bathroom you don't suddenly think you are dying!

Beetroot is the king of all edible purple, when I was a child (ok maybe 22) I thought beetroot came from a can, that was how it grew. Nowadays I know a lot more about the joys of beetroot, roasted, chips, grated, mashed, actually I'm not sure about mashed, but now there's a project.

Beetroot relish
This is the perfect mate for a hamburger, a better marriage has not existed. I also love it on a ham sandwich.

Ingredients

• 4 large fresh beetroots grated (I use the food processor, save the week of purple fingers)
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup of white vinegar, you can use which ever you like, white wine or balsamic.
• 1/3 cup of  water
• optional knob of butter for gloss

Method

• Combine all in a medium saucepan and cook on medium till beetroot is soft and reduced about 30mins.
• You can add more water if needed to get it started but the beetroot will also give off some liquid.
• You can also vary the amount of vinegar as it can be a bit of a slap in the face, but i kinda like that.

Beyond easy beetroot dip X 2

Dip 1

• 2 fresh beetroots grated (zest size)
• 1 tub of natural yogurt
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt to taste

combine, couldn't be easier......or could it??

Dip 2

• 3 small fresh beetroots (tops removed)
• 150g ricotta
• 1 garlic clove grated (optional)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt to taste
• Splash of olive oil to garnish

Put all the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and blend till the texture you prefer, chunky or smooth. If your food processor can handle the pressure you don't even need to cut the beetroot. I'm sorry but I couldn't possibly make it simpler than that, short of coming and doing it for you.