Deep, dark, ruby roasted beets soaked in honey-dijon oregano vinaigrette top a medley of spring greens. Add creamy, tangy goat cheese and a sprinkling of icy red onions, and that's all it takes to achieve salad nirvana.
Yield: 4servings
Ingredients
1poundbeetsends trimmed
1/4red onionvery thinly sliced
8cupsspring greens and/or baby spinachI like a mixture of romaine and oak leaf lettuces along with baby spinach
4ouncesgoat cheesesliced into four coins
Dressing:
2teaspoonshoney
2teaspoonsDijon mustard
2tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
1/4cupolive oil
2teaspoonsfresh chopped oregano
Salt & pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Scrub the beets with a vegetable brush and wrap each one in foil. Place on a cookie sheet to catch the juices and roast in the oven for about 50 minutes until tender.
Unwrap the beets and place them in a medium bowl. Cut into 1-inch pieces right in the bowl, touching the beets minimally as they'll stain your fingers and everything else (which is why it's easiest to cut them right in the bowl instead of on a cutting board).
Whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and chopped fresh oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour half the vinaigrette over the beets and gently toss. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 24 hours.
Swish red onion in a bowl of cold water and rinse to remove any bitterness. Add more water and a few cubes of ice. Refrigerate for an hour or so.
Toss greens in remaining vinaigrette and divide between four separate places. Top with beets and add a coin of goat cheese. Sprinkle with red onion and top with a sprinkling of fresh ground pepper and a few extra bits of fresh oregano, if you have it.