BEET SALAD WITH COTTAGE CHEESE & A RUNNY EGG - SALADE DE BETTRAVE AU COTTAGE CHEESE ET SON OEUF MOLLET

Some people are not afraid of the cold and others regard it with utter contempt. Even if I'm the kind of person who enjoys every single period of the year, I nonetheless definitely prefer the fresher season as I hate to sweat excessively or get sunburnt like a shrimp on a barbie.

Sometimes I wonder if those predispositions are linked to my DNA or is it just a personal preference. What if our genes influenced our manner of conducting ourselves and our traits of character? Hmmm, that is quite a difficult question to answer, however I believe that if our health can be defined by our bloodline, then there are chances that our emotions, temperament and identity is also outlined by it.

You see, my father's ancestors were Swiss mountainers who might have had Danish or English origins (my family name is NOT Swiss at all). Then, on my my mother's side they came from the rugged areas of Northern England where Viking settlers made themselves at home and also from European Russia, a place which is famous for its dreadful freezingness.

Because of this heritage, as a child my hair was so straw-straight and pale blond that I had the appearence of a Swedish little girl (my eyes are blue and my skin is fair too, hence the similarities). It is the reason why I was so popular amongst Japanese tourists who invariably asked my parents if they could shoot my portrait every time they caught a sight of me. Those features attracted them like crazy...

The care with which these nations cherished their hair was remarkable. A striking instance of their solicitude respecting it, is afforded by a young warrior who was condemned to be beheaded. His last and most earnest request was, that it might not be stained with his blood, or exposed, after his death, to the rude touch of a slave. In some instances, ringlets of auburn hair have been found in the tombs of the early Britons.

- Excerpt form "The Scottish Gael" by J. Logan

The light thou beholdest
Stream through the heavens,
In flashes of crimson,
Is but my red beard
Blown by the night-wind,
Affrighting the nations!
Jove is my brother;
Mine eyes are the lightning;
The wheels of my chariot
Roll in the thunder,
The blows of my hammer
Ring in the earthquake!

- "The Challenge of Thor" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sadly, the older I grew, the darker and frizzier my mane became. Nowadays, my locks are light auburn colored with golden highlights and they are still quite wavy. Once again, this is another sign of the legacy of my forefathers as both my complexion and reddish-brown tint occurs most frequently in the phenotypes originating in Northern Europe*, so it is no surprise if my spirit is that of a "true daughter of Thor".

*Scandinavia, Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, the Benelux countries, France, Poland and Russia - Leading the pack, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England have the most redheads. Scotland has the highest proportion with 13% having red hair and ~ 40% possessing the recessive redhead gene. Ireland is second highest with ~ 10% having it and 40% carrying the gene.

~ Picture taken by my late English grandfather ~

I carry the love for harsh and dramatic weather within my blood. It is encoded in my genetic material and deeply rooted in me. There is no doubt about that. Yet, I must admit that although I find crisp air rather envigorating, the last two weeks' Polar conditions took a toll on me and brought my mood down since I didn't set a foot out of the door from fear of being transformed into a giant human icicle!

Well, in my defense, until not long ago, Europe had been experiencing the worst Winter in decades. On the 27th of January we were hit be a coldwave that brushed across the continent, brought blizzards and caused the thermometer to dip to bitter levels. Temperatures of - 35.1° C were recorded during the night in the Swiss Alps (though nothing quite like the -41.8° C recorded in 1987 in La Brévine, Neuchâtel) and in Geneva they sank to - 13° C. Besides, massive snowfalls transformed our landscapes into Siberian wastelands, intense frost swept through the country and the Bise (mean and dry North-Eastern wind) was so violent it went right through you. Brrrrrrr!

The town of Geneva resembled a deserted Illinois ghost town and the rural areas looked like the icy Finnish tundra. Needless to say that there weren't many crowds defying the benumbing elements. The only courageous individuals who braved the harsh conditions were disciplined blue-collars who wore impressive layers of clothes and rushed through the streets as if it was a matter of life and death.

O Winter ruler of the inverted year. . . I crown thee king of intimate delights, Fireside enjoyments, home-born happiness, And all the comforts that the lowly roof Of undisturb'd Retirement, and the hours Of long uninterrupted evening, know.

- William Cowper

On the positive side, this kind of climate is perfect for hibernating, cocooning, taking care of yourself, cuddling with that special someone, finding excuses to stay home, lying longer in your snug bed, eating more comforting foods than usual (I nourish myself in a balanced way, but when the days are dark and glacial it is difficult not want to uplift your mood with cheering grub such as chocolate or cakes) and for being as lazy as a ferret.

But, as we all know, even if this kind of behavior is good for our soul, it is impossible to close our eyes on the negative impact all this hedonistically "shameless" binging and sluggish lifetsyle has on our body. I have to admit that while my trousers still fit me, I wish they'd be a little less tight around the hips, hence I've decided to take things in hand and start cutting down on hyper-calorific treats as well as exercizing again.

Spring is around the corner and I really want to be in shape when the warm rays of the sun caress my skin and nature is blooming. I would be terribly angry with myself if I felt unwell and out of breath while riding my bike through the fields or while walking up the Salève mountain. So, in order to attain my goal, my plan is to re-tone my muscles, have a better control of what I devour and limitate my ingestion of flour, sugary goods as well as nuts.

Having said that, I have to point out that I refuse to go on any diet as I don't find it is a good and lasting solution to weight gain. In my opinion, instead of fasting like an anorexic model, following the latest nutrionists' doolally fads or transforming into a fitness fascist, one should lead a harmonious life by giving priority to mindful nutrition and physical activity without ever forgetting to find pleasure in food and joy in existence.

Consequently, at the moment, big quantities of vegetables are on the menu, but that is no problem for me as I adore greens and I'm used to cooking with them. It is rare that I come across one veggie I hate or simply cannot stomach. In fact, I am quite a legume enthusiast.

One of my favorite veggies is beet. This gorgeous root is available in a range of pretty colors that illuminate the plate, has an interesting sweet and earthy flavor which is really refined and is extremely versatile. Beetroot is so awesome and totally indispensable. It's a real must-have in my kitchen. I can't imagine not using it on a regular basis as I appreciate inventing exotic or regional recipes with it.

My most recent creation is a classy, easy, fresh, nourishing, flavorful and nutrient-ladden salad which consists of thin slices of blanched beetroots that have been marinaded in a balsamic vinegar vinaigrette and which are topped with onions rings, cottage cheese, walnuts and a soft-boiled egg. This meatless course makes a great main dish if accompanied by a few slices of dark rye bread/crackers or a few buttered potatoes. Wonderful!

~Beet Salad With Cottage Cheese & A Runny Egg ~
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, February 2012.

Serves 4.

Ingredients For The "Vinaigrette":

5 Tbs Balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs Malt vinegar

2 Tbs Olive oil

1 Tsp Kikkoman (sweet)
A few drops of Chipotle Tabasco

Balck pepper, to taste

Fine sea salt, to taste

Ingredients For The "Salad":

900g Cooked beetroot, peeled & cut into thinnish slices

1 Onion, thinly sliced into rounds

200g Cottage cheese

4 Big Eggs, soft-boiled (see method)
A handful walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Pimentón or Espelette pepper, for sprinkling

Method For The "Vinaigrette":

1. In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette together.

Method For The "Salad":

2. Add the beetroot slices to the vinaigrette, mix delicately and let marinade for about 1 hour.

3. Prepare 4 plates and arrange the slices on them.

4. Add the onion slices and the cottage cheese.

5. Place a soft-boiled egg on top of each salad and cut it open.

6. Sprinkle with the walnuts and the pimentón or Espelette pepper.

7. Serve.

Comments:

When I need cooked beets, I generally buy them already boiled (it saves time and in that way I always have them on hand in my fridge), but you can also cook yours at home (see method).

Instead of using walnuts, you can sprinkle your salad with toasted pumpkin seeds or any other nut/seed of your choice.

The soft-boiled eggs can easily be replaced by a poached or fried eggs.

Serving suggestions:

Serve as main course with some wholesome bread (ex. Norwegian Mountain Bread) or some boiled/jacket potatoes with butter.

~ Salade De Betteraves, Cottage Cheese Et Oeuf Mollet ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Février 2012.

Pour 4 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette":
5 CS de Vinaigre balsamique
2 CS de Vinaigre de malte
2 CS d'Huile d'olive
1 CS de Kikkoman (doux)
Quelques gouttes de Chipotle Tabasco
Poivre noir, selon goût
Sel de mer fin, selon goût
Ingrédients Pour La "Salade":
900g de Betteraves cuites, pelées et coupées en fines tranches
1 Oignon, finement coupé en rondelles
200g  Cottage cheese
4 Gros Oeufs mollets (voir méthode)
Une poignée de noix de Grenoble, grillées et hachées grossièrement
Pimentón ou piment d'Espelette, pour saupoudrer

Méthode Pour La "Vinaigrette":
1. Dans un grand bol, mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients pour la vinaigrette.
Méthode Pour La "Salade":
2. Ajouter les tranches de betterave à la vinaigrette, mélanger délicatement et laisser mariner pendant environ 1 heure.
3. Préparez 4 assiettes et y disposer les tranches.
4. Ajouter les rondelles d'oignon et le cottage cheese.
5. Placer un œuf mollet sur le dessus de chaque salade et l'ouvrir en deux avec la pointe d'un couteau.
6. Saupoudrer avec les noix et le poivre d'Espelette ou le pimentón.
7. Servir.

Commentaires:
En général, lorsque j'ai besoin de bettraves cuites, je les achète déjà cuites (cela économise du temps et de cette manière je les ai toujours sous la main), mais vous pouvez aussi cuire les votres à la maison (voir la méthode).
Au lieu d'utiliser des noix de Grenoble, pourquoi ne pas saupoudrer vos salades avec des graines de citrouille ou les noix/graines de votre choix.
Les œufs mollets peuvent être remplacés par des oeufs pochés ou à la poêle.

Idée de présentation:
Servir comme plat principal avec du pain complet (ex. pain de montagne norvégien) ou quelques pommes de terre cuites à l'eau/au four et servies avec du beurre.