Salmon with new potatoes, beetroot salad, and cucumber with soured cream on Tuesday 2 July 2024
Tonight is the best night of the year. It's the night when all of the vegetables on our plate come from the allotment. Rather than go with my regular salads, I branched out tonight. People were happy and the salads'll come again.
Beetroot with mustard, honey, and dill
4 golf ball-sized beetroots
3/4 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill
I cook my beetroots in my pressure cooker now. It is by far the quickest and easiest means. I remove the tops and tails, place them in the basket with enough water to just cover the trivet, and cook them for 12 minutes under high pressure, then natural release. Otherwise, trim them and boil them in plenty of water until tender, which will take 30-45 minutes.
While they are cooking, mix together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, and dill with a milling of salt and pepper in a salad bowl.
As soon as the beetroots are sufficiently cool to handle, rub off their skins (wear washing-up gloves or you'll be dyed pink) and cut them into 1 centimetre dice. Tip them into the bowl with the dressing and mix carefully. Taste-test it and adjust the seasoning if you need to, then eat.
Cucumbers in soured cream
1 medium-sized cucumber (ours was a delistar from the allotment)
2 tablespoons soured cream
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Split the cucumber down the middle and scoop out the seeds using a teaspoon. Slice it finely and place in a sieve, sprinkled with salt. Leave the cucumber over the sink for at least 30 minutes to disgorge its juices.
In a serving bowl, mix together the soured cream, vinegar, sugar, and dill.
When the cucumber has drained, rinse it very well under running water. Shake off the excess water and leave it to drain for a minute or so.
Tip the cucumber slices into the dressing. Mix carefully and serve immediately.
