42 The Times Magazine
TOMATO, BEETROOT,
WHITE BEAN AND
POMEGRANATE SALAD
Serves 6
- 2 beetroots
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 x 400g tin white beans,
such as butter beans,
drained and rinsed - 700g heritage tomatoes,
roughly chopped - Seeds from 1 pomegranate
For the thyme dressing
- 1½ tbsp sherry vinegar
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves
picked, with flowers if you can - 1½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
To serve (optional)
- Manchego
- Rocket leaves
- Crusty bread
- Preheat the oven to 180C
(200C non-fan). Rub the beetroots
with the oil and wrap each
one in kitchen foil. Roast for
45 minutes until tender. Allow to
cool until they are cool enough
to handle, then peel and chop.
- Put the beetroots in a bowl
with the white beans, tomatoes
and pomegranate seeds and
toss together. - Make the dressing. Blend the
sherry vinegar, thyme and
pomegranate molasses together,
then gradually whisk in the extra
virgin olive oil. Drizzle all over the
warm salad and toss together. - Let it sit for 10 minutes, then
serve with manchego, rocket and
crusty bread.
ESCALIVADA SALAD WITH
ROASTED TOMATO DRESSING
Serves 4
My escalivada recipes share one
very important element: roasted
vegetables. For this version, I’ve
blended the roasted tomatoes
with the juices from the other
roasted vegetables, along with
a dash of vinegar. It makes a
superb dressing that is perfect
with this warm, tasty salad.
- 2 aubergines, sliced
- 2 red peppers
- 1 yellow pepper
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 3 tomatoes, halved
- 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated
- 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 5 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
for frying - 2 tsp pimentón de la Vera
- 2 tsp sherry vinegar
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper - 100g stale bread, torn
- 1 tbsp capers
- 50g manchego, shaved
- Preheat the oven to 200C
(220C non-fan). Put the
aubergine, peppers, onion wedges,
tomatoes, garlic and thyme on a
large baking sheet. Drizzle with
5 tbsp oil and sprinkle with the
pimentón. Toss to coat well. - Roast for 20 minutes, then
remove the garlic and set aside.
Continue to roast the other veg
for a further 20-30 minutes until
the pepper skins are blackened
and the rest of the vegetables
are sticky and tender. - Put the peppers in a dish and
cover with clingfilm. Leave to
stand for 10 minutes, or until cool
enough to handle, then remove
the skins and seeds and thinly
slice the flesh. Save any juices to
add to the dressing.
- To make the roasted tomato
dressing, put the roasted tomatoes
in a blender with the vinegar
and extra virgin olive oil. Season
well and blitz, adding any juices
from the peppers and a splash of
water until you have a dressing-
like consistency. - Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying
pan over a medium-high heat.
Add the torn bread and fry for
5-10 minutes until golden. Drain
on a plate lined with kitchen roll
and season with sea salt. - Toss all the veg in a dish with
the capers, manchego, croutons,
reserved garlic and dressing and
serve it straightaway. n
Extracted from
The Spanish
Home Kitchen:
Simple, Seasonal
Recipes and
Memories from
My Home by José
Pizarro (Hardie
Grant, £27)
Eat!
JOSÉ PIZARRO