Festive Beetroot, Cous Cous, Pistachio & Feta Salad

Enjoy as part of your festive table or as a standalone light meal to balance out.

I'm a big fan of beetroot in salads! It’s has a little bit of a longer cook time so it can be a god idea to cook extra as it lasts a week in the fridge once cooked, ready to add to meals throughout the week.

This is the type of salad that you can make ahead of time, perfect for any occasion, from a stand-alone, everyday meal to part a larger spread of dishes this festive season, picnics and meal prep.

Beetroots can be both boiled or roasted. The reason I have chosen boiling them here it to give them a delicious pickle flavour from the vinegar in the water. Feel free to roast if you like, It can take a little longer. Wrap them in foil individually, then roast 190C for approx. 1.5-2 hours.

Trick is to peel them as quickly as you can once ready, peeling while hot or warm makes it easier. Also, don’t let them sit in the water too long as they can loose too much flavour.

Get ahead

• Cook the beetroot well in advance, if refrigerated, bring back to room temp.

• Prepare the cous cous salad well in advance. This can sit for a couple of hours at room temp or overnight in the fridge.

Cous cous - Can be swapped for any grain really - rice, bulgur, buckwheat, quinoa are all good options.

Beetroots - If beets aren’t your thing, try roast cauliflower, pumpkin, caramelised brussel sprouts or roast carrots.

Pistachio - use any nut - almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts are all amazing with beetroots.

Beetroot, Cous Cous, Pistachio & Feta Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

3-4 medium beetroot

¼ cup red wine vinegar + 2 tbsp

2 tbsp caster sugar

½ tsp salt

1 cup cous cous

1/3 cup olive oil

3 large handfuls mixed herbs, such as mint, flat leaf parsley, dill

2 spring onion, finely sliced

1/3 cup toasted pistachio, crushed

Juice 1 lemon

2 tsp sumac

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

½ cup marinated feta, drained

Method

Place the beetroots into a deep pot and add the ¼ cup vinegar, sugar, salt and cover with water.

Bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft when a small knife is inserted through. Drain and while hot, peel the beetroots and allow to cool to room temp.

Meanwhile, place the cous cous into a small bowl, with a pinch of salt. Gently pour over 1 cup of boiling water or vegetable stock, stir through then cover for another 10 minutes to steam before fluffing up with a fork.

Roughly chop the herbs and stir them through the cous cous along with the shallots, pistachio, lemon, 1 tsp sumac, 3 tbsp of olive oil, and seasoning to taste.

Cut the beetroots into random wedges and toss with the 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar, sumac, and pomegranate molasses.

Serve the cous cous salad topped with the beetroots and scatter with the feta to serve.