Yellow Beets and Radicchio Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

September 15, 2013 Published by Dina

Beets are abundant n the markets right now and I have been taking advantage of this and buying them in red, yellow, pinkish and the striped varieties. (It’s kind of like buying clothes I like, give me one in very colour:). I roast them, make them into a chilled soup, add them to salads, pickle them or shred them and bake in foil with a pat of butter, salt and pepper.

: Summer beets

: Pickled beets

This time I boiled them (you can also roast them, beets taste even better roasted) and made them into this simple salad with walnut vinaigrette. The chopped radicchio added colour and texture. Beets go well with goat cheese so in it went on top. This is a nice individual salad to serve at the start of a meal or a large platter salad as part of a self-serve dinner as it holds well for a while. I don’t like it refrigerated though so make just enough for what you are going to use right away. I had 8 beets but you can use as many or as few as you need. Just pour enough of the dressing to flavour but not to drown them and keep the rest for another use. You can use the dressing on an endive and radicchio salad with blue cheese and walnuts. It will be delish.

: Beet and lentil salad

: Beet salad

Ingredients:

8 medium yellow beets

1/2 small radicchio, shredded

1/2 cup walnut pieces plus a few walnuts halves for garnish

1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley or chives

1/2 cup goat cheese

A handful of micro greens or arugula

Directions:

You can either roast or boil the beets. If you roast them wash them first, then place in a foil packet, add 1/4 cup water and seal the edges. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400℉ until they are cooked through and a knife inserted in the middle goes through easily. If you boil the beets place them in a pot of water, bring to a boil and cook until they are cooked through. Test for doneness by inserting a knife through one of the beets. You should have almost no resistance.

Whatever method you choose, once the beets are cooked remove from the pot or the oven and let cool. When they have cooled enough to handle remove skin while the beets are still warm. The skin slips off fairly easy that way.

Cut the beets into thick matchsticks pieces by cutting into slices first and then cutting each slice vertically into sticks. Place in a bowl.

Add the shredded radicchio, chopped parsley and half the walnuts and mix gently.

Drizzle with about 3-4 tablespoon of the dressing and mix to coat the beets with the dressing.

Pile onto a serving platter or individual serving plates. Scatter the remaining walnuts, a few pieces of goat cheese and top with micro greens or arugula.

Serve at room temperature.

I sometimes like to drizzle additional honey over the salad once it’s plated.