It’s only just started feeling wintry and already I’m missing summer. So when the sun shone this weekend, I made this and imagined it was still August. It worked…til the salad ran out.

Here’s how I made this little taste of summer.

Ingredients:
1 pack cooked beetroots (4-5 large beets)
1 pack rocket
1 large handful walnuts
1/2 medium red onion
Extra virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Pinch of cumin

1. Very finely slice the onions into 1mm slivers and add to a small bowl, cover with vinegar and compact down. Leave to pickle whilst you prepare the rest of the salad.
2. Cut each beetroot in half then slice into 1/2 cm thickness slices. Add to a large bowl with the rocket.
3. Toast the walnuts over a high heat in a small pan til slightly golden (don’t let them brown).
4. Roughly chop the walnuts and add to the bowl.
5. Season with a half teaspoon of ground cumin, salt and pepper and olive oil and mix in the pickled onion slivers. Mix and enjoy.

If you really want to pimp your salad, add some slices of soft goats cheese (the kind without a skin), it’s beautiful with the beetroot and softens the vinegary onions.