Radagast the Brown is a wizard living on the edge of Mirkwood. Also called Aiwendil meaning “friend to birds,” he prefers the company of animals and plants to that of men. In the film The Hobbit, it is Radagast who warns Gandalf about the return of an evil presence in the stronghold of Dol Guldur.
Ingredients
- 2 raw beets
- 1 bunch of watercress
- 9 oz mushrooms
- 1 handful walnuts
- 2 T walnut oil
- 1 T apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Rinse the beets and wrap them in parchment paper or a sheet of aluminum foil. Place them in the oven or under the ashes of a good fire, and cook them until a knife pierces them easily (about 45 minutes).
- Rinse the watercress leaves well in the clear water of a stream, then spin them dry.
- Making sure that all of your mushrooms are indeed safe to eat, brush them and clean with a damp cloth. Slice them very thinly and fry for a few minutes in a frying pan over high heat until they start to brown.
- Crack the walnuts and collect the kernels.
- Make a vinaigrette by mixing together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Peel the beets and cut them into pieces. In a large bowl, combine the pieces of beet, the cooled mushrooms, the watercress, and the walnuts, and add the dressing just before serving.