BEETROOT SALAD WITH HORSERADISH

You could already notice, I love beetroot in almost any form, as a refreshing juice in the morning, as a soup, as a  beetroot dip or as here as a salad. This beetroot salad with horseradish has some incredibly exciting flavors. I had it yesterday at a dinner with friends and the boyfriend of my friend was surprised, “I really do no like horseradish at all and that’s a big hit.”

Such comments on my recipes I like best. We all associate with certain food memories, good or bad, and because of certain bad memories. Because of some of these memories with certain foods we no longer eat them and probably miss many culinary experiences. Horseradish for this for years. Had such bad experiences with it. Growing up with smoked salmon and horseradish cream, I have shunned both very long for me.

Not only Beetroot and Horseradish is the star of this dish but Beluga lentils as well.

With salmon, I still have my problems, but I have salmon dishes from time to time nowadays. With horseradish I owe a big to wonderful a wonderful person and chef. It was a fantastic beef with fresh horseradish in Restaurant Tarantella in Hamburg made from Frederik Janhsen who still is truly missed.

Just what I love about cooking and especially eating. Dishes provide us with the sight, smell or taste to travel back in in time to certain moments in our lives. Everyone certainly has a particular favorite dish, which brings out always that one homy feeling. For me, this is certainly potatoes and fried eggs. My mother, every Saturday when we were little, worked in a department store in the photo department and my wonderful father took care of me and my brother, including food.

I highly recommend to go for fresh horseradish. With the horseradish from the glas the Beetroot Salad with Horseradish and Lentils is just not the same.

So there was like bun with tartar or fried potatoes with fried egg. Unfortunately, my father died very early, so fried potatoes with fried eggs for me certainly bring out a lot of amazing memories with my Dad. Times when the world was still perfect. Now when I do have this dish, for a small moment my world is perfect.

Beetroot, but at that time rather than fermented than fresh, also was part of my childhood. I am glad that I have never developed a dislike to it. To date it is one of my absolute favorite products, because the beetroot is so diverse. My beetroot dip you have hopefully already discovered. I use in this recipe for beetroot salad beluga lentils, a lentil variety with a particularly delicate flavor that fits perfectly with the other flavors. Lentils have received in Germany a comeback.

Formerly they were known mostly for Grandma’s lentil soup. Today you see more and more lentil dishes probably because of the positive influences from for example India’s kitchen that uses a lot of red lentils. Beluga lentils do not need to be soaked before and do not get mushy so quickly that they are particularly suitable for salads.

Beetroot Salad with Horseradish and Lentils

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Serves: 8 Portions Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Beluga lentils
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 6 tbsp. Apple vinegar
• 3 Beetroots – big, fresh, juicy
• 1 Apple – more on the sour side
• 6 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 tbsp. Yoghurt – I use my homemade coconut yoghurt but you can use any other yoghurt as well.
• 2-3 tbsp. Horseradish – freshly grated
• 2 tsp. Sea Salt – For seasoning
• Pepper – For seasoning

Instructions

1. Bring the lentils, bay leaf and some water to boil and have it simmer for around 20 minutes. You should only add that much water that the lentils are slightly covered, rather add more water during cooking. You do not want to poor liquid away after the lentils are done but pretty much all water should be vanished.
   
2. Peel the beetroot and cut in small pieces. Best use some disposable gloves when working with beetroot or your hands also have a nice red color afterwards.
   
3. Approx. 5 minutes before the lentils are done, add the beetroot to the pot and have some cook for some minutes. They should still be tender.
4. Have the lentils and beetroot cool down a bit. Peel the horseradish and grate as much as you need. You will smell a very spicy smell. Horseradish is extremely healthy because of its oils. Mix horseradish, rest of the apple vinegar, yoghurt, salt, some pepper and olive oil to a dressing. Poor the dressing over the lentils and beetroot and mix.
5. Wash and core the apple and cut it also into small cubes. In order to have them not turning brown you can put them shortly in some water with lemon. But the dressing has apple vinegar which should help that the apple does not turn brown.
6. Have the salad sit for around 2 hours before serving. Right before serving taste again and maybe season with some more salt and/or pepper.