Beetroot Walnut Salad

Ingredients 

• 2 medium beetroots, boiled and peeled
• 2 cups California walnut kernels
• 1/4 cup castor sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• A few Lollo rosso lettuce leaves
• A few Iceberg lettuce leaves
• A few romaine lettuce leaves
• Oil for greasing
• 15-20 arugula leaves
• 20 grams feta cheese
• Radish micro greens to garnish

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Crushed black peppercorns  to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic 
• 1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
• 1 lemon, juice extracted
• 1 tablespoon honey

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160° C.
2. To prepare candied walnuts, heat castor sugar in a non-stick pan. Add 2-3 tbsps water and honey and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do not brown it.
3. Roughly tear 1-2 lollo rosso lettuce leaves, 1-2 iceberg lettuce leaves and romaine lettuce leaves and place them on the worktop.
4. Grease a baking tray with some oil.
5. Add California walnuts to sugar mixture, switch off heat and mix till all the walnuts are well coated with the sugar syrup.
6. Place ½ of sugar coated walnuts on the greased baking tray so that they are separate. Keep the tray into the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
7. Line a tray with silicon mat, place the remaining sugar coated walnuts on it and let them cool.
8. To prepare dressing, mix together olive oil, salt, crushed peppercorns, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and honey in a bowl.
9. Cut beetroot into triangles and diamonds.
10. Put the torn lettuce leaves into a mixing bowl. Add arugula leaves and some of the dressing and mix well.
11. Put the leaves mixture into a serving bowl. Put ¾ of beetroot pieces, crumbled feta cheese and drizzle some dressing on top. Sprinkle some micro-greens over them.
12. Place the baked candied walnuts and the baked walnuts on top. Drizzle remaining dressing over them.
13. Serve immediately.