ROASTED BEETROOT & POTATO HERB SALAD with WASABI MAYO

This recipe is yet another product of inspiration from the Arthur street kitchen Community cookbook (as all my recipes this past week have been). I altered the original recipe ‘roasted beetroot with caramelized turnips, edamame beans and wasabi mayo’ in an attempt to turn it into more of a Russian salad. I remember eating oodles of beetroot and potato as a child and one bite of these ingredients takes me right back. The rosemary and thyme goes beautifully with the root vegetables and Chinese shallots and add additional layers of flavour. The wasabi mayo is an acquired, nose-clearing taste and may not be for everyone. I find that this roasted salad tastes delicious both with and without the mayonnaise.

Ingredients

• 900g beetroot (4 large beetroots), peeled & cut into 2cm even pieces 
• 700g potatoes (sebago or low-carb kestrel potatoes), peeled & cut into 3cm even pieces
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3-4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and the sprig discarded
• 3-4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and the sprig discarded
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Japanese mayo
• juice of 1 large lime
• 1 tablespoon fine wine vinegar 
• 1/2-1 scant teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 cup loosely packed Chinese shallots 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line 2 medium/large baking trays with baking paper. 

2. Toss the beetroot with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sea salt & pepper and half of the thyme, rosemary and garlic in a bowl, then place in a single layer on one of the prepared trays. Toss the potato with the same ingredients and place in a single layer on the other prepared tray. Place the beetroot tray at the top of the oven and the potato tray slightly lower. Roast for 40-45 minutes or until tender. (The potato may cook slightly faster than the beetroot, so check the trays regularly as you approach the 40 minute mark). 

3. Meanwhile, make the wasabi mayo by combining the Japanese mayo, lime juice, vinegar, wasabi paste and a pinch of sea salt in a small bowl and whisking well to combine. Word of warning: if you are not a big fan of wasabi add a tiny amount of wasabi paste at a time and taste test before adding more. If the mayo is too thick, add a few splashes of water or more lime juice. 

4. Combine the cooked beetroot & potato with the Chinese shallots in a medium serving bowl and toss to mix. Add a few small dollops of the wasabi mayo and stir well to combine, then enjoy! 

Serves / 4 as a side

Total Preparation time / 15-20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 45-50 minutes 

x Emily