An Unlikely Winter Salad

Last week, I found myself craving a colorful, textural, and bright salad. I wanted to serve this at a dinner party, so I decided that it had to be plated beautifully. I reviewed some of my recipes, but nothing popped out at me. When I run into a “menu planning block,” I often make my course selections according to the wine pairing. It was decided that either a Sancerre or Chablis would be served with this course, so I planned accordingly. I thought of cheese… what better pairing for Sancerre or Chablis, than a mildly tangy soft cheese? So, it was decided… a goat cheese would be highlighted. The rest, well, I was at the mercy of my local Whole Foods.

I visited the local market section, and was pleasantly surprised to see the most fabulous looking beets. Although not exactly “in season,” the beets were so fresh, their greens still perfectly shaped. The red variety were the only ones I could find, so I decided to get a bunch. I love the buttery texture and sweet flavor that the beets possess when they are roasted, so I was hoping to build the remaining ingredients around that idea. I then came across a tomato section. Though not from local sources, the adorable little yellow cherry tomatoes from Texas caught my eye. My course was coming together – a play on my red and yellow beet salad with goat cheese and herbs.

Here is my recipe for the salad that came together at the market – literally. An unlikely winter salad, for sure, but the flavors were delicious and I would highly recommend trying it – any time of the year that you can find these ingredients!

Roasted Beet Salad with Yellow Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Roasted Beet Salad with Yellow Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Baby Greens

Ingredients
3 large red beets
2 shallots, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced
4 to 5 oz mild goat cheese (chevre)
1/4 cup Marcona Almonds; chopped
2 cups baby greens

Wrap beets (without greens) individually in foil, and place on a baking pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 1 hour. Unwrap the beets, and set aside to cool. While beets cool, combine shallots, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Add the oil in a stream, whisking to emulsify.

When beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and dice them into a 1/4 inch size. Place in a bowl, and pour 1/8 cup of the vinaigrette and mix gently to combine.

Assemble: Toss baby greens with 1 some of the remaining vinaigrette and set aside (do not overdress.) For each serving, place a 3-inch ring mold in the middle of salad plate. Put an eighth of the beets in the ring mold and press down gently. Crumble a couple teaspoons of goat cheese on top of the beets, and then top with sliced yellow cherry tomatoes, forming a concentric design and covering the top. Remove ring mold. Place a small handful of baby greens on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle almonds around the plate, and drizzle with a teaspoon of the remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 8 as a first course. And paired with the 2008 Gilbert Picq Chablis “Dessus de Carriere” was a perfect match!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *