A few weeks ago I went out for lunch at Jamie’s new restaurant in the city with a few of my friends. We’d been talking about doing it since it opened a few months ago, but trying to get a table booked any earlier than November made us think that maybe it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon (I’d also heard about the 2-3 hour wait to get a table if you didn’t book). On a whim we decided to risk it one extremely cold and rainy mid-week day, and to our surprise got in straight away!
The place is as awesome as I thought it would be, with signature ‘Jamie-isms’ everywhere you look. From the huge pasta machines that greet you at the door, to the little bread stations dotted throughout the place where (very attentive) waiters cut fresh bread for every table to nibble on as you ponder over the menu. We ordered a vegetable ‘plank’ to start and pretty soon after, our waiter arrived with a couple of old tins of whole-peeled tomatoes. What? A little bit later we realised what they were for as the plank was placed resting between the tins, giving us all easy access to the goodies that graced the top of the plank.
Eating out for someone like me is never overly easy. Being vegetarian is no worries. Gone are the days when bean nachos are the only thing on offer for us. Gluten-free and dairy-free? Well, we’re getting there. But combine all three and things get a little trickier. For me something has to give at times like this. I’m not going to start eating meat just because I’m eating out and the side-effects of eating gluten for me is just not worth it. But with dairy, thankfully I can eat a little bit of that on occasion without too much drama. So I ate the best (truffle) risotto of my life (no joke) and finished it off with an incredibly rich chocolate pot smeared with whipped cream. All amazing yes, but it was an unassuming little root vegetable salad from the plank that I couldn’t stop thinking about well after we’d left to return home, and for the weeks since.
Jamie and I both share a love for all things fresh… and hot. Lemon, mint and chilli featured heavily in the salad along with lashings of good olive oil. I loved it so much I had to ask the others if I could finish off the bowl once they’d each had a little bit! I would have been happy if I left after only eating that.
Raw beetroot and carrot salad is something I make and eat a lot and I’m often adding mint and chilli to everything, but the addition of celeriac? Genius. I’m thinking a good few of you may not have eaten celeriac before (I know it’s not the easiest thing to come across in NZ especially, unless you grow it yourself). I love the stuff and if you get your hands on some, use it. The texture’s similar to the carrot and beetroot but it tastes of mellow celery. It’s often used in salads where a mayonnaise-based dressing is used (which is also nice), but I much prefer this simple lemon/olive oil dressing instead.
I don’t often miss working in the industry, but I’d be lying if I said that eating at Jamie’s didn’t make me want to apply for a job on the spot and work there! What a cool place. I know I’ll be back.
Have you eaten at any of Jamie’s restaurants before? I’m feeling nosey… got any favourite dishes to rave about too?
celeriac + beet salad with lemon, chilli + mint
If you can’t get your hands on celeriac, just use extra carrot or beetroot. Turnip, swede or kohlrabi would also be interesting substitutes. They would give a similar colour and texture but completely different flavour. I went for 2 whole birds eye chillies, I love chilli and this was nearly too much for me. If you don’t like too much chilli just add a little bit to taste, or remove the seeds before finely chopping to lessen the blow. I happily ate this entire salad myself for lunch, but if you aren’t as greedy as me it would serve 2 or even more as a side.
Serves 2-3
1 large carrot, peeled
1 medium beetroot, ends trimmed and peeled
1/2 large celeriac, ends trimmed and peeled
a large handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1-2 birds eye chillies, finely chopped
the juice of 1 medium lemon
a few good glugs of extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely shred the carrot, beetroot and celeriac either using a mandolin, grater or your food processor. Combine in a bowl (leave the beetroot out until the end if you don’t want it to completely colour everything with it’s juices), add mint and chilli and mix well to combine. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil. Season really well with plenty of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Inspired by a ‘crunchy salad’ eaten at Jamie’s Italian, Perth.
40 Responses
This looks amazing! I love all of these flavours. The colours are beautiful, too xx
Beautiful eh? xx
This salad sounds so good! And it's definitely beautiful, with all those vibrant colors. Hooray!
It's definitely one of my new favourite salads 🙂 xx
I empathise, I feel like the list of things I can't eat is getting to a difficult point for dining out, but I too can cave on dairy a little without too much consequence! I won't tell you about the meals at Jamie's that I love, they are mostly meat! But I bought a bunch of beets on the weekend and am excited to give this salad a go. If for no other reason than I love eating food that is pink!
meg-made
xx
Ah yes, his menu is pretty meat-heavy isn't it? xx
Hi, I've been reading your blog lately and I love it! I've been to several of Jamie's restaurants but the first one I went was Fifteen, in London, like 10 years ago. And I loved it as much as you did. Now he's all over the place so It's not "as special" in a certain way (in those years he had only 1 restaurant) but I still love his style and approach to food.
Thanks for your post and inspiration!!!
You're welcome Clara, so lovely to have you here. It was my first 'Jamie' experience as his restaurants are pretty new down these ways but I can imagine how cool it must have been to dine at Fifteen all those years ago! Lucky you xx
It's funny how these unassuming side dishes are the ones that stay with you after a meal isn't it? This salad looks so wonderfully bright and fresh.
So true, I'm pretty easily pleased though too 🙂 The buffalo mozzarella was also worthy of a mention from that plank too! Yum.
Hi Emm, I was just thinking I hadn't heard from you for a while and then my inbox chimed with the arrival of your post. And even better I get to revel in your experience eating at Jamie's! You are so lucky. My Mum used to live across the road from one of his restaurants in London and had coffee and cake there most days. She was always making me envious with her stories about the place.
And love love the salad, celeriac is my fav winter vege and have been making a similar-ish salad without the chilli (for the kids) and parsley – my mint is hibernating. Yum yum. As always thanks for your inspiration x
You're welcome love. Eating at Jamie's has long been a dream of mine and funnily enough it turns out it's now one of the cheapest places to eat in Perth. Such good value and amazing food. Here's hoping he opens up in NZ sometime in the near future? xx
Jamie's Italian restaurants in London are so popular…and SO busy! If you go on a weekend you have to queue for hours. You can book at Fifteen which is great though and I love Jamie's recipes and general outlook on life. This salad looks gorgeous and I love the simplicity of the lemon, chilli and mint dressing.
Oh no, I was hoping once the initial excitement of Jamie's wore off here in Perth, it might get a little less busy. But I suppose when the food is that good, and cheap it will always be busy!
Greeat pictures, Emma! The colors are just so appetizing. They do make me want this salad right away. I wonder if I ever ate raw beetroot. Must give it a go very soon!
I almost prefer raw over cooked when it comes to beetroot 🙂
I love Jamie's and was lucky enought to go to his Italian in Liverpool and Fifteen in Cornwall last time we were home. I loved the gooey Burrata. The salad sounds perfect and beautifully vibrant.
It is tricky once food issues start adding up, isn't it? I can take some goat dairy products in small amounts thank goodness, but just can't risk gluten 🙁
This salad looks delicious indeed, I love celariac too so will put this one in my to make list. We have Jamie's opening in town this year, so I'm looking forward to trying it out.
Wow, another Jamie's! They're popping up everywhere in Aussie at the moment aren't they? xx
Beatiful, refreshing. I love the shredded veggies!
i can imagine this being so incredibly crunchy, like a vietnamese goi of green papaya or cabbage.
i've never been to any of jamie's restaurants, honestly, i don't even know if he has a place in the states…
Oh green papaya salad… yum!
What a beautiful salad and not only is it healthy, the colors jump right off the plate!
Hi Em, love the salad. And yes ate at one Jamie's places when I was last home….loved it! I recall some deep fried ravioli that were particularly delicious 🙂 And love the planks…just bought myself one & can't wait for summer to pile it up with all sorts of treats.
They are a lovely idea for entertaining aren't they? xx
What I really want to know is how you shredded your veggies? My processor gives a graceless shred and my handheld gives a stubby, pulpy one. Did you use a mandolin then julienne? The texture achieved in your photos is perfection. What's your secret?
🙂 I borrowed one of my mother-in-laws mandolin-type shredders. It looks like a mandolin, but gives lovely long strands like you see in the pics. I'm keen to buy one for myself! If you have a regular mandolin I'd go that route and then finely slice with a sharp knife. xx
Please please let us know the model name? I have been looking for one forever ! please !
I just bought mine second hand, but I've managed to find them online here http://kitchenaccessories.com.au/peeler-vegitablepeeler-potatopeeler
I have the strip slicer 1.6mm.
Thank you for this recipe. I made it a few days ago, it was delicious.
Adeline
You are so welcome! Stoked you loved it as much as I do 🙂
I loved this salad and my husband raved about it. I am planting celeriac in spring as I paid far too much for it! Many thanks
Awesome eh? So glad you liked it. Celeriac are way over-priced aren't they, I've always wanted to try my hand at growing them. One day when we have more garden space…
How beautiful are these colours? I feel satisfied just looking at it 🙂 I imagine the addition of celeriac adds a wonderfully peppery component… I've only just recently started cooking with it.
Oh my goodness!! I had this exact same dish at a Jamie Oliver restaurant in London! On my honeymoon and my husband and I had missed our train and gotten splashed in icy, muddy slush and were near tears when we stumbled in. The darling staff got us a lovely table, and brought out a vegetable board and drinks—on the house! It was as wonderful as you describe. 🙂 It also included this absolutely yummy grilled veggie dish, just thin ribbons of veg grilled on charcoal, tossed with olive oil, a bit of vinegar, and fresh basil. I'm still dreaming about it!
This looks delicious! The colours are amazing, just love it. I think I may have to make this to go with my pulled pork sliders next weekend, instead of making coleslaw! Thank you for the salad inspiration and for sharing
Fantastic. I love, love, love, love this beet salad. Thanks for sharing !
What is celeriac and can I use something else in place of it I have never heard of it here in oregon
Celeriac is a root vegetable, it kinda looks like a large knobly turnip but tastes of celery. It's also known as celery root, which I think is what you'd know it as in the U.S? I've suggested using turnip or swede in it's place in the headnotes of the recipe, or just extra carrot/beetroot. The salad will be different, but still yum.
Actually, I just re-looked over my post and there's photo of celeriac above. It's the white root vegetable with celery-looking tops on the left of the vegetable photo. I'm about 99% sure you'd know it as celery root.