Roasted Beet Salad with Candied Lemon and Pistachios
Recipe By :Erica De Mane
Serving Size : 4
2 lemons
1 tablespoon sugar
5 medium beets -- (either crimson or golden) the greens removed (and saved for another use, if you like) and the beets washed
1 anchovy fillet -- minced
1 garlic clove -- smashed with the back of your knife
nutmeg -- a few scrapings
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar -- about
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large bunch arugula -- stemmed, washed, and dried
1 small red onion -- very thinly sliced
A handful of shelled unsalted pistachios
With a zester, peel the yellow skin from the lemon in long thin strips, scraping up as little of the white pith as possible (if you don't have a zester that will do this, remove the skin with a sharp vegetable peeler and then cut it into thin strips by hand). Place the strips in a small saucepan, add the sugar, and cover with about 1/2 inch of cool water. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil and simmer until the water has evaporated and the zest is sticky. Spread the zest out on a counter or cutting board to dry for about 1/2 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place them on a sheet pan or in a shallow baking dish. Roast until they are tender and fragrant, about 1 hour (a thin knife should pierce the biggest one easily when they're cooked through). Let the beets cool for a few minutes, and then slip off their skins. Cut the beets into thin slices.
Make the dressing by whisking together in a small bowl the minced anchovy, garlic, nutmeg, sherry wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Whisk in about 3 or 4 tablespoons of good olive oil and taste for seasoning (I find that the sweetness of beets can take a little extra salt).
Place the arugula in a salad bowl and toss it with a drizzle of the dressing. Divide it up among four salad plates. In the same salad bowl, add the beets, red onion, pistachios, and candied lemon. Pour on the rest of the dressing, and toss very gently, so the beet slices don't break up (I do this with my fingers). Divide the beets onto the arugula. Serve right away.
NOTES : Orange is another citrus fruit that goes well with beets. I sometimes include a few slices in this salad (if I use golden beets, blood oranges are a good contrast). Crumbled young goat cheese is delicious scattered over the top right before serving. If you'd like to include an herb, I feel basil and tarragon marry especially well with beets
Recipe By :Erica De Mane
Serving Size : 4
2 lemons
1 tablespoon sugar
5 medium beets -- (either crimson or golden) the greens removed (and saved for another use, if you like) and the beets washed
1 anchovy fillet -- minced
1 garlic clove -- smashed with the back of your knife
nutmeg -- a few scrapings
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar -- about
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large bunch arugula -- stemmed, washed, and dried
1 small red onion -- very thinly sliced
A handful of shelled unsalted pistachios
With a zester, peel the yellow skin from the lemon in long thin strips, scraping up as little of the white pith as possible (if you don't have a zester that will do this, remove the skin with a sharp vegetable peeler and then cut it into thin strips by hand). Place the strips in a small saucepan, add the sugar, and cover with about 1/2 inch of cool water. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil and simmer until the water has evaporated and the zest is sticky. Spread the zest out on a counter or cutting board to dry for about 1/2 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place them on a sheet pan or in a shallow baking dish. Roast until they are tender and fragrant, about 1 hour (a thin knife should pierce the biggest one easily when they're cooked through). Let the beets cool for a few minutes, and then slip off their skins. Cut the beets into thin slices.
Make the dressing by whisking together in a small bowl the minced anchovy, garlic, nutmeg, sherry wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Whisk in about 3 or 4 tablespoons of good olive oil and taste for seasoning (I find that the sweetness of beets can take a little extra salt).
Place the arugula in a salad bowl and toss it with a drizzle of the dressing. Divide it up among four salad plates. In the same salad bowl, add the beets, red onion, pistachios, and candied lemon. Pour on the rest of the dressing, and toss very gently, so the beet slices don't break up (I do this with my fingers). Divide the beets onto the arugula. Serve right away.
NOTES : Orange is another citrus fruit that goes well with beets. I sometimes include a few slices in this salad (if I use golden beets, blood oranges are a good contrast). Crumbled young goat cheese is delicious scattered over the top right before serving. If you'd like to include an herb, I feel basil and tarragon marry especially well with beets