Baby Beet Salad - New Recipe

You gotta try this one...it's delicious!

You know I picked the last of my beets about a week ago and I wanted to try a new salad recipe with them.  The original recipe called for Endive lettuce, but I couldn't find it at my grocery store, so I simply used a spring mix, which I really like anyway.  Actually, you could probably use any lettuce or bitter green you like in this recipe.  It's very adaptable (my kind of recipe :-}

Blue Cheese, Roasted Beet and Spring Mix Salad
1 pound baby beets, tops and roots removed, scrubbed clean
Spring lettuce mix or any salad green you like
2 ounces Roquefort or other blue cheese
1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped walnuts, roasted
1/2 cup Orange Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Orange Vinaigrette
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
White or freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons light extra virgin olive oil, grapeseed, sunflower or canola oil

In small bowl, combine orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.  Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified.  Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Place beets on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap to form a well-sealed packet.  Roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the beets are tender.  When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into bite sized pieces.

In large salad bowl, combine the lettuce with enough dressing to coat.  Toss beets with a little dressing as well.

Plate lettuce on individual serving dishes, top with beets, blue cheese to taste, toasted nuts and drizzle with a little more dressing as necessary.  Garnish with orange slices.

And again, if you really want to be decadent, add a sprinkling of that wonderful Truffle Salt!

Buon Appetito!