ASPARAGUS, BEET, AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD
A salad as enjoyable to plate as it is to eat. If you love beets, this recipe is a must.
Time: 20 min (plus 45-60 min oven time) | Difficulty: 2/5 | Servings: 4
Ingredients:
The Salad
3 large beets
Olive oil for drizzling
1 bunch of asparagus
2 oz goat cheese
¼ cup pine nuts
Salt and pepper
Microgreens (optional for topping)
The Dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
Zest from 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Scrub and wash beets and remove tops. Leave the skin on. Lay them on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Wrap the beets in the foil and place them on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for 45 - 60 minutes, or until you can easily pierce with a fork.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then peel under running water. If the skins are difficult to peel, you can also use a knife. Chop into 1-2 inch pieces.
While your beets are cooking, you can blanch your asparagus. Bring a pot of water to a boil and have a bowl of ice water nearby. Trim the bottom 1 - 2 inches off your asparagus and add them to the pot of boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes. They should be bright green and crisp-tender. Once blanched, move immediately into the ice water and let cool.
Toast your pine nuts in a skillet on high heat until browned, about 3-5 minutes.
Mix the olive oil, vinegar, honey, lemon, salt and pepper to make your dressing.
Finally, it’s time to build your salad. Plate your asparagus first (you can leave whole or chop into 2-inch pieces), top with your chopped beets, add dollops of goat cheese, and top with the toasted pine nuts. Finally, add your dressing and top with microgreens (optional). Try some of the plating options below!
