Tangelo beetroot salad with labne
INGREDIENTS
1 batch labne (labna) made with 4½c full-fat yoghurt
4 baby golden beetroot
4 baby Chioggia (striped) beetroot
1-2 tangelos
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
olive oil
flaky sea salt
2-3 radishes, thinly sliced
1-2 Tbsp dukkah, or toasted ground cumin
½ cup edible flowers
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar or lemon juice
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Make the labne first. Take 4½ cups of full-fat yoghurt (I recommend Fresh & Fruity Greek Yoghurt but you can use any kind as long as it is full fat!), mix with 1tsp sea salt and place in a sieve lined with two layers of paper towel or clean cheesecloth/muslin. Put the sieve over a bowl and place in the fridge for three days, removing and discarding the whey that gathers in the bowl. When ready to serve, shape the labne into small balls using two spoons or lightly oiled hands.
Peel the beetroot and slice thinly using a mandoline (I recommend the Benriner – it is a gamechanger and doesn’t take up too much room in your drawer).
Carefully peel tangelos with a serrated knife, removing all the white pith. Slice in between the flesh and membrane, releasing the tangelo fillets.
Fry the pumpkin seeds in a splash of oil heated in a small pan for a minute or two. Keep an eye on them as they darken quickly. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt. Cool.
Arrange your beetroot slices, radish, tangelo segments and labne on plates. Sprinkle with dukkah or ground cumin. Scatter everything with edible flowers and pumpkin seeds. Season with a few pinches of sea salt, dot with vinegar or lemon juice and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
