simple beetroot salad

Actually, the story of this salad is very, very simple, but also quite special, I would say. It starts with this amazing oven-baked beetroot. It’s very different from boiled beetroot, obviously, because in the process of baking it becomes a little drier, more concentrated and sweeter. Just so, so flavourful.

Every time I go to Paris and come back to Lyon, I try to bring some of these beetroots with me. They’re not widely available — at this point, I know of only two shops in Paris, Miyam and Berry, where I can find them — so I always try to buy a few and bring them home. And then I simply serve them with whatever is on my mind that day.

This salad was exactly that. Something that just happened because I really felt like eating capers. I can never say no to walnuts. I had some dill flowers, some preserved lemon and, you know, that was just about it. I sprinkled over some salt and pepper — smoked pepper in this case — and added a good dash of olive oil.

And I remember eating it with just some simple bread and a glass of white wine. That’s it. There are, of course, so many variations. Try with some lardo and roasted hazelnuts. Again, nothing complicated — some basil, a little peppermint, olive oil, salt and pepper. And that’s it. Because when the beetroot itself is so, so flavourful, it really doesn’t need much. And this is one of the versions I absolutely love.