Simple summer essentials part 3: The colour purple - Beetroot and feta salad

Baby beetroot and feta salad

What am I up to now? Part three? I think so, if you don't count Meal Planning Monday as part one. Or maybe I should. Which would make this Part four. Oh, who knows. I've got pavlova, poached eggs and steamed asparagus and raspberry cordial or vodka/ gin (still undecided) yet to come.

So far in the Simple Summer Essentials we've had:

Watercress, basil and parsley oil: two ways

Mozarella and tomato salad: (also) two ways

And now Baby beetroot and feta salad. Which I can't take credit for thinking up, because it's everywhere. And when I suddenly though - oooh I know, that's what I'll do, I realised I'd remembered it from Jules' recent post. Dammit. I did think about doing something different, but the baby beetroot with mint and raspberry were so sweet and were calling, calling I tell you(!) out to be made into salad. No, really they were.

It's less of a recipe in my case, and more of (as this week is themed) a Simple Summer essential. Where the recipe lies in this case is in the dressing. Jules' dressing looks lovely, but if we're doing Pantry summer essentials then a simple French dressing has to be included. Mine was once based on a Delia recipe, possibly from How to Cook, but that was a long time ago. Years have passed since I've opened the book, much less looked at the ingredients, but that said, hers was the inspiration.

French dressing (used here on beetroot, feta, tomatoes, pea shoots and some cucumber)

1 garlic clove, crushed (or squished on a bread board using the flat of your knife and some salt)
Pinch salt
Black pepper
Sprinkle mustard powder (maybe half a teaspoon or so? And I often substitute this with made up mustard if I've run out of powder)
Good olive oil, maybe about 4 tablespoons
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I love this more than is probably healthy)
1 tablespoon white wine/ cider vinegar

Add your crushed garlic, salt, pepper and mustard powder to a clean, empty jam jar and haphardly beat it together with a fork
Add the oil and vinegars, put the lid on the jar and shake like billy-oh until everything mixes together
Add to salads and store in the fridge