The combination of Hairy Bittercress’s (Cardamine hirsuta) earthy flavours with the sweet, salt and acidic dressing and the vivid contrast of colours makes a wonderful Autumnal warm salad.
Hairy Bittercress Recipe Ingredients
- 4 beetroot (weighing about 500g)
- 50g sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons oil (I used hemp but olive is fine)
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 60g hairy bitter cress
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hairy Bittercress Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC gas mark 6.
- Wash the beetroot and wrap individually in foil. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Check each one after ¾ hour as cooking times can vary, they should be tender when pierced with a skewer.
- Spread the seeds out on a baking tray and toast in the oven with the beetroot for 8 minutes when they should be lightly browned.
- Whisk the maple syrup, oil and vinegar together.
- While the beetroot are still warm, unwrap and peel them with a small knife. Halve, quarter and then halve each quarter
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Have a taste, you need to get the balance right between the salt, sweet and acidic flavours. Adjust accordingly if they are not quite correct.
Serves: 4