Beetroot and avocado salad recipe

 Yummy yummy salad... I've adapted a recipe I found this on my new favourite vego cooking site, recipes are published by Yotam Ottolenghi who is a famous vego chef in London.... Alternatives would be using more green vegies, such as asparagus and snow peas, and change the dressing to a simple balsamic reduction, which would make a sweeter, less 'zinging' salad...

4 medium raw beetroots (around 350g in total)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
4 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra to finish
½ tsp caster sugar
1-3 tsp savoury chilli sauce or paste (eg Tabasco)
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium avocados, peeled and thinly sliced
10g coriander leaves
10g mint leaves
1 bag Rocket/Baby spinach mix
150g broad beans, blanched, refreshed and skinned (or frozen soya beans, quickly blanched and refreshed)
1/2 Cup Roasted hazelnuts
Chunks of creamy goat's cheese / Danish feta

Peel the beetroots and slice them very thinly, around 2-3mm thick – if you have one, use a mandolin. (If your beets are large, halve them after peeling, then cut into slices.) Put the beetroot in a pot with plenty of boiling water and simmer for three to five minutes, until semi-cooked; it should still be crunchy. Drain and put in a large bowl.

Add the red onion, vinegar, oil, sugar, chilli sauce, salt and pepper to the beetroot bowl and toss everything together gently – your hands are the best tool for this. Leave to one side for 10-15 minutes, then taste and see if you want to add more sugar, salt or vinegar – it needs to be sharp and sweetish.

When you're ready to serve, spread half the beetroot mixture on a large platter or in a shallow bowl. Top with half the avocado, coriander, mint, pea shoots and broad beans. Add the rest of the beetroot and arrange the remaining ingredients on top. Drizzle with a little oil and to serve just scatter a few roasted hazelnuts and/or chunks of creamy goat's cheese over the top. Serves four to six.