Beet Salad

— from the kitchen of Jen Bousselot (’01 plant health and protection, MS ’03 sustainable agriculture), Iowa Master Gardener coordinator (courtesy Sarah Haynes, new EARTH program coordinator)

Ingredients:

The farmers market shopping list for this recipe includes:

– 4 or 5 beets

– local goat cheese

– raw walnuts or almonds

– fresh arugula or mâché (depending on freshness and availability, another baby green can be substituted)

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

Set oven at 375 F. and chop four to five regular sized beets into chunks.  Peel or give the beets a good scrub.  Place them in a cake pan, drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste and wrap the whole pan in aluminum foil.  Bake for around 45 minutes.  This can be done in advance of the meal.  Beets are done when easily sliced with a knife.  If roasting over five beets this may take well over an hour.  To serve, further slice the beets into bite sized slivers.  Toss with balsamic vinaigrette and layer over a platter of greens.  Top the lovely beet vinaigrette mixture with crumbles of goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Serves four.

(Drop quote: “Yummy, fresh side dish for a harvest meal.  Portions of walnuts, cheese and vinaigrette are really up to individual preference.  Sugar coating the nuts over low heat with some maple sugar is a nice touch.  This is a great flavor combination.  So just have fun!)

Back to story: http://stories.cals.iastate.edu/2011/11/homegrown-lifestyle-a-course-and-way-of-life/