Winter Caprese Salad
- Felicity Vincent
- Nov 30, 2024
- 4 min read
Beetroot, clementine, mozzarella & dill festive salad.
The ultimate winter salad recipe.
I've replaced the tomato with beetroot, the basil with dill, and added clementines, walnuts and pomegranate molasses for a perfectly balanced salad. Bring a bit of brightness and freshness to your winter meals.
Ingredients (serves 2):
Winter caprese salad recipe:
1 mozzarella ball
2 beetroot
2 clementines
20g walnuts
5g dill
2 Tbs EVOO
1 Tbs pomegranate molasses (or balsamic glaze)
Salt and pepper
Method:
If using raw beetroot, coat them in oil and a sprinkle of salt. Tightly wrap them in aluminium foil, then bake in the oven at 180°C for an hour before turning off the oven and leaving them in until fully cooled down. Unwrap the foil and peel off the skin gently with your fingers.
Slice the beetroot in random shapes, such as circles and wedges. You can even create little rolls by cutting up thin slices, then halving in semi-circles, and finely rolling them on themselves to create cones. Or overlap the semi circles in muffin tins to create roses.
Slice the ends off the clementines then cut off the skin following the curve around with a knife and exposing the flesh, then cut into slices or supremes (removing the peel of each segment).
Toast the walnut halves in a dry pan for 2 minutes on medium heat. Then remove from the heat and roughly tear or chop up into smaller pieces.
Tear the mozzarella into small bitesized chunks.
Pick the leaves off the dill stems.
Assemble the salad by alternating beetroot and clementine, topping with mozzarella chunks, walnut pieces and sprigs of dill.
Drizzle over generously with extra virgin olive oil, the pomegranate molasses and a sprinkle of sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Enjoy a bit of winter bright zesty freshness. Bon appétit!
More about this winter caprese salad recipe:
Shortcuts:
Use any other type of mandarin orange you can get your hands on. Simply peel and separate the segments to add to the salad as is.
You can use pre-cooked beetroot to save time and just roughly cut them into odd slices and chunks.
Keys to success:
This is an easy one really, but pop any questions in the comments and I'll be more than happy to help.
The main thing is if you wish to create a beautiful plate to include this salad on a festive table (I think it makes the perfect addition of colour and freshness), then I would recommend cutting everything in different shapes to create height, and making sure to alternate the colours.
Health benefits of clementines:
They're a good source of:
vitamin B7 (biotin) which supports cell health and is needed to transform food into energy.
vitamin C which acts as a water-soluble antioxidant, protects cells, enables wound healing and helps maintain healthy skin, bones, cartilage and blood vessels.
soluble fibre which helps lower blood cholesterol, and slows the release of energy from food, managing blood sugar levels. It also helps bulk stools with water and serves as a prebiotic, meaning it feeds our gut bacteria for a healthy microbiome which has its own multitude of health benefits;
insoluble fibre - helps to make you feel full, and soften stools for better digestive health. It is also associated with phenolic compounds and therefore antioxidant properties.
Clementines also contain other beneficial compounds, in particular carotenoid pigment which give it such a vibrant orange colour. Let's take a closer look:
Carotenoids, including alpha-carotene - all have antioxidant properties, they are excellent free radical scavengers playing a part in protecting body and cells from age-related diseases. Studies suggest that they may reduce cognitive decline, alleviate brain fog and decrease the risk of incidence of Alzheimer's disease.
Beta-carotene (carotenoid) - converted to vitamin A to support eye health, skin health, and the immune system. It accumulates under the skin, protecting us from UV rays and potentially reducing the risk of skin cancer. Vitamin A is required for the formation of keratin to support teeth health, in part. Beta carotene has also been suggested to have protective effects on our liver.
Beta-cryptoxanthin (carotenoid) - a derivative of beta-carotene. This antioxidant also has anti-obesity, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties that in part help to protect joints from aging-related aches such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Lutein (carotenoid) - has been proven to support eye health. It may slow down the effects of age-related vision loss and cataracts. Its anti-inflammatory properties may also decreased risk of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Violaxanthin (carotenoid) - has a stronger antioxidant capacity to the above carotenoid and presents the same combined benefits on skin, eye, heart and brain health.
Limonene (aroma compound) - is the fragrant oil found in citrus peel, limonene has antioxidant properties which protect cells from free radical damage. Early studies suggest it may have anti-inflammatory properties and reduce the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. One study also found limonene had the ability to reduce stress and anxiety in rats.
Hesperidin (flavonol glycoside) - has antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which in part protect brain health and suppress tumour development. Some studies suggest it may improve symptoms of allergic asthma, and others have shown it can help regulate blood glucose levels and insulin resistance. It was also shown to reduce some depression and anxiety symptoms.
Narirutin (flavonol glycoside) - similar to above but present in smaller concentration.
Furanocoumarins can be found in clementines which can interfere with certain medications such as statins and thyroxine, similarly to grapefruit.
Mood Food - Happy:
Vitamin C - is involved in converting dopamine to noradrenaline - low amounts of noradrenaline are associated with depression.
Beta-cryptoxanthin - anti-inflammatory properties linked to brain health and lower risk of depression.
Beta-carotene - also supports iron absorption which in turn is required to feel energised. Low iron levels have been linked with feeling weak and tired.
Hesperidin - reduces depression and anxiety behaviours through interactions with specific brain pathways.
A bit of sunshine - during the colder darker months of winter, clementines and other citrus bring a colour and zingy flavour which we associate with sunshine and therefore brightens up our mood. The smell released by limonene found in the peel has also been shown in early aromatherapy studies to lower anxiety.
Hopefully this makes you excited to try this and many other clementine recipes during their season!
You can find lots of ideas on how to cook with clementines in my newsletter: https://felicityvincent.substack.com/
Video:
Cook along with this step-by-step video and learn how to make my beetroot, clementine and mozzarella salad recipe:
Photos:
Comments