Raw Chioggia Beet Salad with Meyer Lemon

This festive looking salad is made with Chioggia beets. They are an Italian heirloom variety, known for their beautiful rings or stripes depending on which direction you cut them. A few years ago I tried growing these little beauties in my garden, but they didn't do very well in the heat.

Chioggia beets are a little sweeter than the regular fuchsia colored ones. They don't appear to stain your hands, at least not when prepared raw. I haven't tried cooking them yet as I was told they tend to lose their lovely stripes when heated.

for every 2 servings:
2-3 Chioggia beets, depending on their size
salt and freshly cracked pepper
juice from 1 small Meyer lemon, about 2-3 tbsp
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp mustard

Scrub the beets really well. Slice off the tops and trim the roots.

Slice the beets as thin as possible. This is easiest if you use a mandoline. Arrange the slices into a serving bowl, lightly seasoning them with salt and pepper as you go along.

Combine the lemon juice, oil and mustard in a small jar with lid and shake well. Drizzle over the beet slices and serve.