Wednesday 9th October 2019.
Letting go.
Every September, usually on the second Monday of the month, the vast expanse of green that is the local cricket pitch disappears underneath a sea of steel fairground rides, all adorned with red, gold, yellow and green coloured bulbs. For many local folk, myself included, this event symbolises the changing of the seasons.
The last week of August still feels as though were in deep summer. The leaves on the trees are at their most vivid and don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, while our lambswool jumpers sit at the back of our wardrobes, waiting patiently to be brought to the forefront and worn as armour, when the cool mornings of Autumn arrive. But this quickly changes when the fayre comes to town. It feels as though the change happens overnight.
As a young boy I believed that the travelling community were a prompt for mother nature, reminding her that she must now commence her Autumnal duties. I always wondered what would happen if the fair couldn’t make it to our little town one year. Would the leaves on the trees stay green and the nights stay light throughout the Winter months? It was an intriguing prospect, but one that I wasn’t willing to discover at the expense of a go on the waltzers and bag of candy floss.
This event also marks a change in the kitchen. It no longer feels right to serve the salads typical of summer with their delicate flavours and soft textures. The ‘ber’ months bring with them the need for a salad that is more substantial, and served warm as opposed to fridge-cold. Here’s one of my favourites.
Ingredients:
- 500g cooked baby beetroot
- 250g pack of Quionola Mothergrain quinoa, pearl and red barley
- 1 medium red onion
- 110g pomegranate seeds
- 80g feta cheese, crumbled
- 25g fresh parsley, chopped
- 2tsp dried thyme
For the dressing:
- 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 2tsp dried parsley
- 2tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 clove minced garlic
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C, or 180 degrees C for fan ovens. 2. Quarter your cooked beetroot balls and add them to a small roasting tin. Skin the onions. then slice thickly before adding them too. 3. Sprinkle over the dried thyme and a generous pinch of sea salt. Drizzle over a couple of tablespoons of flavourless oil and mix to combine, until all the veg is evenly coated. 4. Roast for 30 minutes in your preheated oven until browned and caramelised, then set to one side. 5. While your veg is roasting, make the salad dressing. In a jam jar, add all of your dressing ingredients, as well as a small pinch of sea salt and a generous twist of black pepper. Place the lid on and shake vigorously for a minute, until well combined. 6. Microwave your grains, following the instruction on the packet (usually around 90 seconds) then leave to stand for one minute.
7. We’re now ready to assemble the salad. On a large platter, empty out your warm grains then add the roasted vegetables, chopped parsley, crumbled feta and pomegranate seeds. 8. Pour over your dressing, then toss everything together, using your hands, until well combined.
9. Serve immediately while still warm, alongside more feta and pomegranate seeds for people to help themselves.
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