Beetroot Summer Salad Bowl

A few months ago, shortly after we moved into our new home, Todd went to work digging and planting a garden. He's not really that organized when it comes to such things. I am the organizer, but . . . I was busy sorting out the inside of the house, and we wanted to get something in before it was too late.



There is no rhyme or reason to much of what he planted, which is kind of nice really . . . and makes it sort of interesting.

Like the row of what he thought was parsnips, that ended up being rocket . . . not quite the same thing of course, but nice nonetheless!

We returned from our holidays on Sunday to a garden filled to the brim with Baby Gem Lettuces . . . all ready for the picking NOW. Now, as a woman, I would have spread out the planting of these little treats, over several weeks, so that they would not all be ready at the same time . . . but men . . . well, this man at any rate . . . meh . . .



I count my blessings where I find them, and at least he planted the garden!!

My beetroot are pretty much ready now as well . . . and the beans, both yellow and green are beginning to come fast and furious! Yummo!! The courgettes and butternut squash are also full of blossom, so that looks very promising as well . . . the pigeons ate our cabbage while we were away, but again . . . it is a blessing that they left it at the cabbage and didn't taste everything else as well!!




Anyways, here is a lovely salad that makes a nice light supper. It's easy to make, quick and we think it's quite delicious. You don't have to use canned ham, sliced baked ham works very well also, as do a few other suggestions which I have mentioned in the recipe!

I like to think of most recipes as being basic canvases for you to make your own mark upon in any case . . . isn't that the true wonder of cooking!!



*Beetroot Summer Salad Bowl*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

You don't have to use ham in this if you don't want to. You could use a flavourful goats cheese, torn inbto bits, or chopped camembert, smoked fish . . . use your imagination. Chopped cooked steak or beef is also very nice.

100g of frozen petit pois (about 1/2 cup)
175g of beetroot (2 medium beetroot), cooked until tender and peeled
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 small tin of cooked ham, flaked
3 baby gem lettuces, sliced crosswise

For the Dressing:
2 TBS thick Greek Yoghurt
2 tsp horseradish sauce
approximately 1 TBS milk
salt and black pepper to taste

Put the peas into a dish and pour boiling water over top. Allow to sit for several minutes, then drain very well. Set aside.

Slice the beetroot into thick wedges. Set aside.

Divide the lettuce between two chilled dinner plates. Sprinkle the spring onions over top, along with the peas, dividing them equally amongst the plates. Top with the beetroot wedges.

Whisk together the yoghurt, horseradish sauce and milk until smooth and drizzable, adding more milk if necessary. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper.

Drizzle this dressing over the salads and then top each with equal amounts of flaked ham. Serve immediately.