Roasted Beet Salad w/ Spiced Candied Walnuts

The key to making great food is to use things when they are in season. A simple google search will tell you what time of the year fruits and vegetables are at their absolute best. Beets are a nice year-round root vegetable, but are best when eaten in the Summer and early Fall. When you think of Summer you think, light meals eaten outdoors and a beetroot salad is a perfect lunch for a warm Summer’s day.

 
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Roasted Beets

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs red beets (look for ones that are slightly larger than a golf ball)

  • 2 lbs golden beets (same size as red beets)

  • Apple cider vinegar

  • Olive oil

  • Walnut oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 350ºF

  2. In a mixing bowl, lightly toss the golden beets with a splash of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper and place it in an oven safe pan

  3. Add enough water to barely cover the bottom of the pan and another small splash of apple cider vinegar.

  4. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil

  5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for the red beets. Make sure to keep the beets in separate pans as the red beets will irreversibly stain the golden beets if cooked together.

  6. Roast in the oven for 1 hour

  7. Pull out of oven, and allow to come down to room temperature on it’s own. DO NOT unwrap the aluminum foil from the pan. You want to leave that steam in there.

  8. Once the beets have cooled off, starting with the golden beets, run them under cold water and rub the peel off. After the cooking process and steaming, the skin should peel right off the beet.

  9. Cut the beets into quarters and place them in a mixing bowl, toss them with salt, pepper, another small splash of apple cider vinegar, and a drizzle of walnut oil
    If you are allergic to walnuts or can’t find walnut oil, you can substitute olive oil.

  10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for the red beets making sure once again to keep both beets separate. The red beets will stain your hands pink for a few hours.

Apple Cider-Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar

  • ½ cup walnut oil

  • 1 cup olive oil

  • ¼ cup honey

  • 2 TBSP dijon mustard

  • 1 medium shallot, minced

Instructions:

  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the minced shallots, honey, dijon, and vinegar until fully incorporated.

  2. Begin to slowly drizzle in the olive oil and walnut oil, whisking continuously.
    Again, if you are allergic to walnuts or simply can’t find walnut oil, just substitute more olive oil.

  3. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spiced Candied Walnuts

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint of walnuts (halves and pieces), toasted

  • ¼ cup butter

  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar

  • 1 TBSP ground mustard powder

  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

  1. Place a nonstick pan on VERY low heat and melt your butter

  2. Once butter is fully melted, add brown sugar, mustard powder, and cayenne and incorporate with the butter.

  3. Allow the brown sugar and butter to heat up, allowing the sugar granules to dissolve and turning into a thick syrup.

  4. Make sure to stir every so often to make sure none of it sticks and burns.

  5. Once syrupy, mix in the walnuts and stir to cover them.

  6. Spray a baking tray with nonstick spray and pour the walnuts out onto them in a flat layer. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and allow them to cool.

  7. Use a spatula to scrape them off the pan and separate any pieces that are stuck together.

Assembly

Ingredients:

  • Arugula

  • Crumbled goat cheese

Instructions:

  1. In a mixing bowl, toss the arugula with the apple cider-honey vinaigrette and place on a plate.

  2. Top with red and golden beets, crumbled goat cheese, and candied walnuts.

  3. Enjoy!

Luis Fayad