Entertaining

End salad boredom with this Beet, Parsley, and Smoked Trout Salad

Beet, parsley and Smoked Trout salad Jim Norton

The first beets of the season are harvested in June, and these tender summer beets are delicious eaten raw in this simple but surprisingly impressive salad. Serves 6–8 as a side, 3–4 as a main.

2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper
⅓ cup olive oil
2 medium raw beets, well scrubbed and trimmed (see Tip, below)
1 medium carrot
2 cups chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 small fillet (about 100 g) smoked trout, flaked (or other smoked fish, such as salmon)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup walnut pieces

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually add oil, whisking until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.

2. Using a food processor or a box grater, shred beets and carrot. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, toss together dressing, parsley, trout, blueberries, and walnuts. Add beets and carrot; toss to combine. Scatter a few additional blueberries and walnut pieces overtop. 

TIP Shredding beets by hand? If you don’t have gloves at the ready, you can avoid the horror-movie look by rubbing your hands under cold water with a raw potato to remove stains.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2017 issue of Cottage Life.

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