Beetroot party with orange and pine nuts

Working with The University of Sheffield

Season: AutumnWinter

Beetroots are such a loyal culinary friend in the veg box, summer through winter. This gorgeous, vivid, ultra-healthy dish uses them cooked AND raw, accompanied by lentils and pine nuts. Flavoured with zingy fresh orange, apple cider vinegar, honey and parsley. A great way to make use of the nutritious zest from the organic oranges in your Regather fruit boxes this winter. And don’t forget about the local Sheffield honeys we stock via our online shop!

Thanks to customer Erin for sending this in. It’s from a lovely looking cookbook ‘My New Roots’ by Sarah Britton: ‘inspired plant-based recipes for every season’.

Ingredients

½ cup (100g) black lentils soaked (overnight if poss)

Fine sea salt

6 mixed beetroots (900g)

¼ cup / 60ml cold-pressed olive oil

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp raw honey or pure maple syrup

Grated zest of 2 organic oranges

½ cup / 10g chopped flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup / 35g raw pine nuts, lightly toasted

Freshly cracked black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 200C / 400F / gas mark 6.

Drain and rinse the lentils, put them in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender but not mushy, 10-20 mins, depending on the soaking time.

When the lentils are almost cooked, add ¾ teaspoon salt and continue to simmer until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt the cooking. Put the lentils in a large bowl.

Wrap 4 beetroots in aluminium foil and put them on a baking sheet. Roast the beetroots until they are cooked through, 35-50 minutes depending on their size. Remove from oven, let them sit in their foil for about 15 minutes.

When beets are cool enough to handle, unwrap the foil and slip the skins off. Chop the beetroots into bite-sized pieces and add them to the lentils.

Peel the remaining 2 beetroots. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the beetroots into thin rounds; then slice the rounds crosswise to make matchsticks. Add the raw matchsticks to the lentils and roasted beetroots.

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, honey and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl, and pour this dressing over the salad. Add the orange zest, chopped parsley and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper and serve.