I am not a person who wins things. The first time in my life that I won something, I was so flabbergasted, I cried. (I was ten and it was a notepad. Really.) The next time I won something, it was a washer-dryer that I really didn't want or need and then had to haul 50 miles. (Don't ask. Misunderstanding.)
I share this in the hopes that you won't judge me when you see the photos that follow. Photos of my mandoline. The one that I won over at The Sweet Beet. Yes, you read right. I. Won. A. Mandoline.
In case you don't know it, The Sweet Beet is a lovely blog authored by the lovely Michelle who picks ordinary people like me to win beautiful mandolines. (Did I mention that I won a mandoline?)
This recipe is a tribute to the lovely Michelle over at The Sweet Beet. Yes, the one who picked me as the winner of an awesome Oxo mandoline that slices and juliennes and does just about anything an ordinary blogger like me could hope for.
Beet Salad, two ways (my own creation dedicated to Michelle over at The Sweet Beet)
10 minutes prep, assuming you have an awesome Oxo Chef's Mandoline
3 beets, peeled (wear gloves!)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
a 1-inch knob of ginger, grated
1 cup cooked wheat berries, optional, plus an extra teaspoon of red wine vinegar, an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and optionally some chopped fresh tarragon
Use your Oxo Chef's Mandoline to julienne the beets. (If you don't have one, feel free to use a good old fashioned chef's knife. Or maybe you can beg Michelle to donate a mandoline to a worthy cause.)
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oils, salt, and grated ginger. Pour this mixture over the beets and let it sit for an hour or two at room temperature. (You can also refrigerate it for up to a day. The flavors improve with time.)
Now, you can go one of two routes. You can eat some or all of the beets plain, just the way they are. They are full of flavor (and color, of course) and taste positively vibrant.
Or, if you want to extend the dish a bit, take half the beets and mix them with the wheat berries. Add the extra vinegar, salt, and tarragon and mix well. Refrigerate for tomorrow or enjoy immediately.
I would give my right arm for a mandoline and my left arm for a place to store it. Of course without arms it might not be much use to me.
ReplyDeleteThat Girl: Funny you should say that, because the one bad thing about my new 'toy' is the fear I have of cutting off a limb with it. So far, so good - I'm being very cautious - but it can cause some pretty serious injuries!!!
ReplyDeleteI love beets. Your salad looks delightful.
ReplyDeleteI need a new madoline and I am so glad you mentioned it in your post. This beet salad looks exceptional! Amazing and I could so use that for dinner tonight!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your awesome win! What a fun surprise :) And your beet salad looks fabulous...how sweet to pay tribute to Michelle!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your win.Nice mandloine. Beet salad looks awesome delicious.
ReplyDeletegood on you for your win - I don't win often and it is a pain when you win and find it is not something you want or need - but that looks like a swanky mandolin - I have one but find I don't use it - always seems fiddly though I dream of using it for really thin potato slices to bake in the oven
ReplyDeleteI have a serious case of mandolin envy. Your salad looks so fresh and vibrant, and I bet it tastes delicious, but I fear that trying to cook it could tip me over the edge. If Michelle gives ME a mandolin I promise to try it.
ReplyDeleteLucky! Can i tell you how much I have always wanted a mandoline? Very much. This dish looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteRivki, You are so adorable to dedicate this to me. You completely made my day. Here's to slicing our way to great eating!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations - and thank you for a gorgeous recipe!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on winning the mandolin! I want one :)
ReplyDeleteI would definitely use it for beets---yum!
I laughed when you shared about winning the notebook, that is so cute. How awesome that you won big this time??! You should do a series of posts with recipes using your prize. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining my Weekend Bloggy Reading party. :)
Congratulations! You have certainly put it to good use!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new toy! The salad looks great--very creative. I have a mandoline that I have NEVER USED (fear and uncertainty have held me back--I have no idea how to use it).
ReplyDeletegreat looking salad!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on winning that lovely mandoline! It's well deserved as you are putting it to good use already! The beet salad looks wonderful - love the flavors especially the ginger.
ReplyDeleteSeriously nice haul! I love my mandoline, although I was scared of it for a good year after one particularly bad judgement of where the blade was... Anyhow, over it now, and totally digging the beets here. I have yellow ones on hand, so I may just need to whip this up today!
ReplyDeleteI have tried several mandolines but have trouble getting a raw beet to julienne very well - they seem so hard that the strips come out very thin and not matchstick square like the zucchini juliennes. I'm just curious, but in your photo of the julienned beets the sticks look a little limp and wondered if you par boiled them or roasted them first to get them soft enough to run through the blades and achieve a uniform matchstick strip....or is this the magic of the oxo steel machine compared to other less expensive machines?
ReplyDelete