Almost Salad Nicoise

I wanted to make my Mum a beautiful salad for her birthday today lunch today and I know how she loves potatoes. Potatoes can get a pretty bad rap these days as high protein mania overtakes sensible eating patterns which can and should include some 'carb'. Who can resist the humble potato?

Almost Salad Nicoise - for my Mum's Birthday!

Ingredients
3 medium beetroot - trimmed, whole
1 kg chat potatoes (Nicola, with their firm yellow flesh is the best) - peeled, whole
300g green beans - topped and tailed
1 punnet cherry tomatoes - halved
150g rocket leaves
Whole green or kalamata olives
4 eggs - hard boiled
Mayonnaise - 1 egg, 1Tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp English mustard, 1 Tbs agave or honey, 300ml sunflower oil, salt and pepper

Condiments
Olive oil
Tamari
Toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper


Step One
Cook the beetroot in the basket in the TM bowl with 1 litre of water for 45 mins, varoma speed 2. Top up water above blades and cook a further 30 mins. Set aside to cool. Once cool rub skins off wearing rubber gloves and slice into wedges. This can be done the day before to save time.

Step Two
Place prepared potatoes in the basket in the TM bowl with 1 litre of water. Varoma speed 2 for 30 mins
Add beans to varoma tray and place on top for the last 10 mins of the potato cooking time.

Step Three
Toss beans in a light coating of olive oil, tamari and toasted sesame oil
Slice potatoes into bite size pieces and while still warm, lightly coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Be gentle so you don't break the potatoes
Set beans and potatoes aside to cool

Step Four
To make mayonnaise place 1 raw egg yolk, vinegar, honey and mustard in the TM bowl, insert butterfly, mix on speed 4 for 10 seconds. With the blades still spinning, drizzle oil on the top of the TM lid so it falls gradually into the hole in the middle, Add 50 ml of oil every 30 secs or so till all oil used. You know you have mayo when it looks like mayo! It thickens as the ingredients emulsify together. When thick, stop the blades, open the lid, scrape down the sides, add salt and pepper to taste and if you have no use for the egg white, put it in and mix for another 30 secs on speed 4. Put in a clean glass jar in the fridge and use within two weeks.

Step Five - Putting the salad together
Cover a large platter with rocket leaves
Place cooled potatoes, then the beans and beetroot wedges over the leaves
Garnish with the halved cherry tomatoes, halved boiled eggs and olives
Serve drizzled with Mayonannise - Yummo!


Alternative to mayo for vegans is my classic salad dressing.
I make a Tupperware shaker of it and its always available in the fridge on demand!

Juice of 1 orange and three lemons
1/3 volume of golden flax seed oil to juice
Generous dollop of hulled tahini
Medium dollop agave nectar or honey
Small splash of braggs seasoning or salt
Freshly cracked pepper
Shake it like a Polaroid picture

This dressing is not an exact science - taste and add more of anything as needed
If too runny - add more tahini
If too think - add more juice
If too tart or too bitter add more agave/honey

This will be good for 4-5 days in the fridge if it lasts that long!

Raw Ravioli

Raw beetroot & daikon ravioli with a pea puree dressing

For the ravioli casings use thin circular slices of turnip, daikon radish or beetroot. Use a mandolin to slice on its thinnest setting. Brush slices lightly with olive oil and leave a few hours if time is available.

Filling:

1 clove garlic

200g of raw nuts e.g. walnuts, pine nuts, macadamias or a mixture

A good handful of fresh herbs e.g. parsley, tarragon, coriander, basil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp Braggs/Tamari or 1 tsp salt

Chop garlic on speed 7 for 2-3 secs

Chop the herbs on speed 7 for 2-3 secs

Process the nuts and seasonings speed 6-7 till well combined and holding together

You may need to open the TM and move with a spatula a few times to help it along

Sauce examples

To each add a generous splash or two of olive oil, agave or honey as needed to balance sweetness, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend on speed 8 till smooth and creamy.

Tomato - 4 fresh tomatoes, 6 sun dried tomatoes

Pepper -1-2 red or yellow peppers

Beetroot - 1 medium beetroot, enough water to create right consistency

Pea - Handful of pea greens, 200g fresh shelled peas

Presentation:

• Layer veggie slices on a platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place some filling on the centres of each, top with another slice and press down.
• Either press the veggie edges together or let the filling squish out to the edges.
• To make softer ravioli, place filled raviolis on plate/platter and cover completely with chosen sauce and let it sit for awhile before serving topped with salt and pepper and a sprig of herbs
• To make a prettier looking dish, place the sauce on the bottom of the plate/platter then carefully place the filled raviolis on top and serve immediately topped with salt and pepper and a sprig of herbs.

This amount of filling is usually enough for two people eating the ravioli with leftovers. How many raviolis depend on the size of the veggie slices, 4 large or 8 small is a rough guide per person. This left over filling is great in mushroom caps the following night or two, warmed up in a very low oven or food dehydrator for as long as you can before eating. Great served with a big green salad.