Ensalada de Betarragas

The everyday Chilean table salad of boiled beet with lemon, oil and fresh coriander

Origin: Chile

From the journey of Beetroot.

Ensalada de betarragas is one of the fixtures of the Chilean table. From Arica in the far north to Punta Arenas at the tip of the continent, boiled beetroot dressed simply with lemon juice, olive oil, and sometimes fresh coriander or parsley appears at family lunches, restaurant set menus, and asado spreads as a matter of course. The word betarraga (the standard Chilean, Peruvian, and Bolivian term for beet) derives from the French betterave, reflecting the strong French cultural influence on 19th-century South American elite cuisine and commerce. Beet was introduced to the region through Spanish colonial agriculture, but its deep embeddedness in Chilean daily cooking owes as much to the wave of German and Croatian immigrants who settled in the lake district of southern Chile (the Los Lagos and Araucanía regions) from the 1840s onward, bringing their northern European beet traditions with them. In Peru, the same root is used in juices, as a garnish for ceviche, and in the elaborate side salads of the Peruvian criollo table. The Andean countries as a whole have absorbed the beet more thoroughly into everyday cooking than almost any other former Spanish colony, and the ensalada de betarragas, requiring no more than a pot of boiling water and a decent lemon, is the simplest, most honest expression of that adoption.

Ingredients

Beetroot

600 g raw beetroot (3 medium), scrubbed, unpeeled

Dressing

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, very finely minced or grated (optional)

Seasoning

fine salt and white pepper

Garnish

2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander, finely chopped

Method

Place the whole, unpeeled beetroot in a pot of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 35–40 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and leave to cool until handleable.
Peel the cooled beet by rubbing the skins off under gentle pressure. Slice into 5mm rounds or cut into rough 2cm cubes, depending on preference.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic (if using), salt, and white pepper. Taste: the dressing should be bright and fresh with a clean acidity.
Toss the warm beet in the dressing. The warmth helps the beet absorb the lemon and oil. Leave to cool to room temperature, turning once or twice.
Arrange on a serving plate, scatter with chopped parsley or coriander, and serve at room temperature alongside grilled meats, fish, or as part of a Chilean asado spread.

Notes

This salad is best eaten on the day it is made. The lemon dressing is the essential element: the beet's sweetness against the acid is the whole point. In Peru, a small amount of huacatay (black mint) paste is sometimes added to the dressing for a regional variation. In Bolivia, the same preparation is often served alongside peanut sauce.

The Gastrographer

Name: Ensalada de Betarragas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chile
Ingredients: 600 g raw beetroot (3 medium), scrubbed, unpeeled; 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 small clove garlic, very finely minced or grated (optional); fine salt and white pepper; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander, finely chopped

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control