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Recipe
slightly adapted from Gourmet magazine,
December 2002 and the
Epicurious.com website.
Photo by Quentin Bacon.
This delightful
salad recipe and dinner menu were generously shared with my by Linda Sandberg of
Newberg, OR. Linda belongs to a Gourmet Dinner Group that delights in making
wonderful foods that they share together. Check out
Prime Rib (Standing Rib Roast) Christmas Dinner which includes this
recipe.
More delicious
Salad and Salad Dressing Recipes.
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Pistachios
Recipe Type:
Salad and Salad Dressing,
Beets,
Goat Cheese
Yields:
8 serving
Prep time: 60 min
Ingredients:
3 large red beets (1 2/3 pounds without greens)*
2 large golden beets (1 pound without greens)*
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed
lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon
salt
1/4 teaspoon
black pepper
1/4 cup pistachio oil**
4 ounces soft mild goat cheese
3 tablespoons salted shelled pistachios nuts (not dyed red), coarsely chopped
1 ounce (4 cups) māche (also called lamb's lettuce), trimmed***
Special Equipment Needed: 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (at least 2 inches
high).
*
Please don't throw away those fresh beet greens when cooking fresh beets.
Cook the beet greens and enjoy a delicious and nutritious dish just like
your grandparents grew up with. Learn
Beet How To Cook Fresh Beet Greens.
** If you can't find pistachio oil, you can use
walnut oil or even olive oil, or you can make your own. Toast 1 cup pistachio kernels. When cool, finely grind in
food processor. In a saucepan, warm 1 1/2 cups olive oil or canola oil and
ground pistachios; stir until blended. Transfer to a jar and let stand overnight
at room temperature. Strain. SOURCE: California Pistachio Commission
***
Mache - This popular
lettuce originates in Europe where it is belovedly called “Little Sweet
One” by the French. It is also known by many more names such as lamb’s
lettuce, field salad, corn
salad, field salad, field lettuce. The plant grows in a rosette of long
spoon shaped leaves which may also be clustered in loose heads. It is
usually sold bunched together with its roots. If you can't find Mache in
you grocery store, argula leaves may be substituted.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In separate
bundles, wrap the red and golden beets tightly in double layers of aluminum
foil. Roast the beets in the oven until they are tender about 60 to 90 minutes.
Remove the beets from the oven, carefully unwrap the foil and let them cool
enough to handle. Check out my tutorial on
Oven-Roasted Fresh Beets.
While the beets are cooling,
make the dressing by whisking together the shallot, lemon juice, salt, and
pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the pistachio oil in a slow, steady stream,
while whisking to incorporate; set aside.
Once the beets are cool enough, trim off the ends and then slip off
and discard the skins. Keep the red and golden beets in separate bowls. Cut the
beets into 1/4-inch dice. Pour 2 1/2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing into
each bowl and gently toss to coat the beets.
NOTE:
Beets can be roasted and diced 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room
temperature before using.
Prepare the Salad:
Set the cookie cutter in the center of 1 of 8 salad plates. Spoon
1/8 of the diced red beets into the cutter and pack down with your
fingertips. Crumble 2 teaspoons of goat cheese on top, then add 1/8 of the
diced golden beets; again packing them down with your fingertips. Gently
pull the cutter up and away from the stack of beets. Repeat with the
remaining 7 servings.
NOTE: Molded beet
salad (without the māche)
can be assembled 45 minutes ahead of time and kept, covered, at a cool room
temperature.
Drizzle
each plate with 1 teaspoon of the Dressing and scatter a few pistachio nuts
around the salad.
Toss
the māche with just enough remaining dressing to coat and gently mound on
top of the beets on each salad plate.
Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
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