The Edible Flower

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Pickled rhubarb, beetroot and crispy halloumi salad

Serves 4 as a side

For the rhubarb pickle:

100g rhubarb
100ml white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons pickling liquor from the rhubarb
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small clove garlic, grated or very finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or very finely chopped
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon rosewater (optional)
Black pepper and sea salt

3 small beetroots (about 200g total)
100g salad leaves
200g halloumi, cut into small cubes
20g pumpkin seeds
Petals of two tulips (optional)
2 teaspoons honey

Finely slice the rhubarb. Put the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small jar and shake well to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the sliced rhubarb and leave to pickle for at least half an hour but preferably for a few hours.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Wash the beetroots and put them in an oven proof dish with a lid. Put them in the oven and roast for 1-1.5 hours until they are soft. Set aside to cool with the lid on and once cool enough to handle peel the skins off and cut into wedges.

To make the dressing put all the ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine. Taste and add more seasoning if required.

Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast for a few minutes until starting to turn golden. Remove the seeds from the pan, add the olive oil and then fry the halloumi until golden on each side.

Put the salad leaves in a serving bowl and gently dress them with the dressing. Add the beetroot and the pickled rhubarb nestled among the leaves and add another drizzle of dressing. Arrange the crispy halloumi, toasted pumpkin seeds and tulip petals on top. Drizzle over a bit more dressing and then the honey on top.