WARM WINTER SALAD WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE

This dish showcases colourful winter vegetables, beautiful radicchio, beetroot, and heritage carrots. Resting on a bed of warm white bean puree, it offers both nourishment and comfort, but can be elevated by the artfully plated to impress your guests!

While radicchio, can be a polarising vegetable,  I think you can win over skeptics with this dish. I love radicchio, but usually like to serve it with a little sweetness to counter the bitterness. It’s also visually stunning and is balanced with a sweet and tangy sherry maple vinaigrette here. 

This will make a great stand alone meal, but you could serve it with some fresh bread or toasted pita. 

Warm Winter Salad with White bean puree

Serves 4 

350g/ large radicchio, cut in 8ths

500g carrot, washed and ends trimmed

300g beetroot, washed and ends trimmed

Rapeseed oil to cook

30g picked parsley 

40g toasted pinenuts

White bean puree

60 ml olive oil 

4 clove garlic, sliced 

4 fresh bay leaves 

1 teaspoon salt 

500g cooked white beans*

100g water 

1 1/2 lemon/ 45g juice & zest 

¼  teaspoon white pepper  

Sherry vinegarette

3 tablespoon sherry vinegar 

125ml tbsp olive oil 

1 tablespoon maple 

1 clove garlic, grated 

1 teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon pepper 

Pre heat oven, 190c.  Par cook the beetroot, place in a medium pan that fits them in snugly, add 2 inches of water, place the lid on, and steam for 30 minutes, When they’re cool enough to handle, quarter. Mix with 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil and season with a teaspoon of salt. Place them on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. While they’re roasting, steam the carrots. 

Cut each carrot lengthway into halves or quarters, they should be roughly the same thickness. Steam in a pan with a couple of inches of water for  10 minutes until tender. Mix with 1 tbsp rapeseed oil and 1 teaspoon salt, line a baking tray with parchment and spread the carrots in a single layer. 

When the beetroot has been in the oven for 15  minutes add your carrots to the oven and roast for a further 30 minutes. 

While the vegetables are roasting make the white bean puree. Heat a small saucepan on low heat, add the olive oil, garlic, bay leaves and salt. 

Cook on low heat until softened, but before it starts to turn golden. Take out the bay leaves, add the beans in a mix well. Transfer to a blender and blend with the rest of your puree ingredients. 

Transfer back to the pan to reheat before serving. 

Make the dressing - shake all ingredients in a jar or whisk together in a small bowl, set aside. 

Five minutes before your roasted vegetables are ready. Heat a large frying pan. Medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil, using tongs place the radicchio lying flat in the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, you should have a nice caramelised colour. Turn the radicchio and cook for 3 minutes on the other side. Turn off the heat. Heat the bean puree on a low heat, stirring until piping hot. 

Transfer the roast root vegetable, picked parsley and radicchio to a large bowl, add the dressing. Gently coat the vegetables with the dressing. 

To plate up . Divide the puree between four plates, top with the vegetables. Finish with a sprinkle of toasted pinenuts.

A note on beans :

*If cooking beans from dried, soak 250g dry white beans - cannellini or butterbean, for 8 hours or overnight with 3 times the water than to beans. When they’re ready to cook, drain and rinse, transfer to a pan with a lid, cover with plenty of water and a teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil, and simmer with the lid on for 30-40 minutes until tender. If using tinned, two tins will be enough.