Raw Beet and Carrot Salad with Fresh Herbs

I'm hiding in my house from the fire department right now, working on my blog because this afternoon is the only time I have to work on it and when the fire truck drives by, I just get down on the floor and wait for it to pass by and hope they don't stop and knock on my door! This has been a crazy week with visiting relatives, a 3 day golf tournament and working every spare minute on a big volunteer project. So, after blowing off a dinner invitation at the home of one of the best chefs that I know and my husband, Scott who wanted to play golf with me, I found a girlfriend to play with him. I went to visit my mother but cut the visit short to come home and make my beet salad, photograph my food, sit at the computer and spend the only free time I carved out for myself to write my blog. So, just as I sit down at the computer the phone rings and the fire department is evacuating the neighborhood for a fire drill, because we live surrounded by dry open space somebody thought it would be a great idea to evacuate my entire street for practice! The last thing I want to do is leave my house right now, so I closed the blinds and every time the fire trucks drive by I lay on the floor and hope they don't find me and send me to prison! This is ridiculous that I can't find time in my week to post one simple salad recipe and that I have to break the law(?) to work on my blog! I think it's over now. This is not what I was planning on writing about but oh well, it's the truth and hopefully no one from the fire department will read this story. I was going to tell you about going into San Francisco on the Larkspur Ferry, stopping at the Ferry Building and buying this really good Stonehouse Extra Virgin Persian Lime Olive Oil and now they make vinegar so I also bought their Napa Valley Napa Rosé Vinegar, why is it so quiet outside, this is making me nervous, I wish some cars would drive by or something! Anyway, I made the dressing for the salad with this olive oil and vinegar, the reason I bought them in the first place was because the sales woman told me the two combined together tastes so good that they're like candy. Which is sort of ridiculous when you think about it, why would olive oil and vinegar taste like candy? But I'm an impulse shopper so I guess that's all I needed to hear before making my purchase.

I tried photographing the beet salad on a colored plate and in a white bowl, it's not easy to get a good picture of this, I think because the beets are so dark. So I tried photographing it both ways, I would be curious to know if anybody has an opinion on this subject and feel free to say if you think I'm nuts for hiding in my house during an evacuation drill, I guess I all ready know the answer to that one. Maybe everybody was out of town for the weekend and they didn't get a big turnout? Whoops shouldn't have used that word! Really strange, a Humane Society truck just drove by, what's that all about? Another Humane Society truck just drove by, now that is just plain weird. Maybe they're evacuating the deer or the wild turkeys too?? I really want to write the recipe now but honestly now I'm afraid they might come down the street knocking on all the doors and my computer is in a bedroom right next to the front door! So, I may have to hit the deck again. Okay check out the beet salad in the white bowl.


Here is the recipe
makes enough for 4-6

3 medium size beets, peeled, trimmed, cut into wedges and shredded, I used my Cuisinart
4 small carrots, peeled and shredded
2 shallots, minced
1 handful fresh herbs, chopped, I used Italian parsley, sweet basil, marjoram, mint
1 handful raw walnuts
2 tablespoon olive oil, I used the Persian lime
2 tablespoon vinegar, I used rosé wine
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large bowl place the beets, carrots, shallots, fresh herbs and walnuts. Make the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the beet/carrot mixture and stir. Garnish with some fresh herbs if you like!