Beet & buckwheat dilly salad

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1/2 cup of toasted buckwheat groats

• 1 little gem lettuce leaves

• 3 small red chicory leaves

• 4 small (or 2 big) cooked beetroots, sliced into wedges

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

• 4 tbsp of red wine vinegar

• 1 small shallot, thinly minced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Cook the toasted buckwheat (if your buckwheat is untoasted, you can toast it in a pan on low heat until brown).

Option 1: Add the buckwheat and 1 cup of water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 10-15mins (until water is fully absorbed). Once the water is absorbed, remove the pot from heat and let steam for 10mins. Remove the cover and fluff the buckwheat gently with a fork.

Option 2: (Easier but will make a wetter grain). Fill the saucepan 3/4 with water and bring to a boil. Add the the toasted buckwheat, reduce the heat a bit, and let cook for about 10mins. Taste the buckwheat from time to time to check if it’s cooked. Once cooked, drain the water, and put the buckwheat back into the pot, cover and let steam for 10mins. Remove the cover and fluff the buckwheat gently with a fork.

2) Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. 

3) In a large salad bowl, layer the salad. First place the lettuce gems, then the red endives, sprinkle the cooled buckwheat on top, then the beetroots. Drizzle the dressing on everything and sprinkle the dill on top. Finally toss everything together before serving.