Soused Root Vegetable Salad with Feta

I'm still waiting for that first flush of spring to bring in the new seasons produce.......come on! Whilst we wait, here is an interesting salad that uses a quick pickling liquor to add a sweet, sour and spicy dimension to shredded root vegetables. You will need a Japanese Mandolin to shed the vegetables as doing it with a knife is hard going - be careful , they are lethal bits of kitchen kit! Goes great with oily fish such as mackerel (minus the feta). 

Ingredients:

Rice vinegar - 100ml

Sugar - 80g

1 hot chilli - finely sliced

1 raw beetroot

1 medium carrot

1/2 mouli (japanese white radish)

1 small red onion

1/2 a cucumber

Fresh coriander - 1 small bunch

100g feta cheese

Method:

Peel and shred all the vegetables. When you get to the cucumber, no need to peel, just shred length ways until you get to the seeds. Rotate the cucumber 90 degrees and go again,. Repeat until you have just the seedy core remaining and discard - you don't want all that watery mass in your salad.

In a small pan bring the vinegar, sugar and chilli to the boil then take off the heat. Season well and tip over your veg - toss well. Allow to stand for 5 mins the serve with crumbled feta and fresh coriander sprinkled over the top. I ate mine with hot middle eastern flat breads and homous.