Beets are one of the most affordable vegetables in our country. On its basis, they make classic and cold borscht, prepare side dishes and add to salads. Most often, boiled or baked beets are used in cooking, but dishes with raw vegetables are no less tasty. Especially salads and appetizers, in the preparation of which, however, there are tricks.
– Red beetroot; – vegetable peeler; – fresh vegetables; – vegetable oil; – lemon juice, vinegar; – salt, sugar; – additives to taste: seeds, nuts, citrus fruits, apples, dried fruits, etc.
Before you start making fresh beetroot salad, you need to carefully prepare the vegetables. If the beets are young and you are sure that they are environmentally friendly, you can use them directly with the skin. Wash vegetables in cold water. It is best to use a stiff washcloth to remove any dirt. Then dry the beets with a paper towel. If the beets are quite old, you should wash them thoroughly, trim the ends and peel them. To preserve more vitamins, use a peeler that peels a thinner layer than a knife. Different types of salads require different ways of cutting vegetables. For some, you can grate the beets on a coarse grater, but then some of the vitamins will go along with the juice. It is better to use a Korean carrot grater: it has sharper blades, which means that the loss of nutrients will be minimal. If you don’t have a grater, cut the beets with a knife first into circles, and then each of them into thin strips. The thinner the pieces are, the tastier the salad will be. After that, sprinkle the lemon juice on the beets to maintain their vibrant color.
Fresh beetroot salads go well with meat dishes and can even serve as a healthy and light side dish
Beets in salad can be combined with other vegetables. The main rule is that all vegetables must be fresh. One of the most useful and at the same time simple recipes for salad with fresh beets is Vitamin Brush. To prepare it, finely chop fresh white cabbage, grate peeled carrots or cut in the same way as the beets in the way described above. Chop the onions into thin half rings for taste. Combine all the ingredients with a little lemon juice or citric acid. Season the salad with vegetable oil of your choice: olive, linseed, sesame or just sunflower. Salt the salad, let it brew and you can use it. Add a teaspoon of sugar for extra zest.
But not only vegetables can be added to fresh beets. Try rubbing hard cheese, fresh horseradish, and a sour apple into it. Sprinkle the mixture with chopped walnuts, seeds, finely chopped prunes, dried apricots or garlic. The salad can be seasoned with mayonnaise, sour cream, and even natural yogurt, add wine or balsamic vinegar. To give the fresh beet salad an exotic touch, you can mix vegetables with slices of orange or grapefruit, dilute the dressing with citrus juice. Health can be delicious.