Beet Citrus Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
BEET CITRUS SALAD WITH MINT VINAIGRETTE
Serves 2 as a meal, or 4 as a side
Takes 1 hour, 30 minutes
4 large beets (around 2 pounds), mixed colors if you have them
¼ cup hazelnuts
3 oranges
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
10 twists freshly ground black pepper
⅓ – ½ cup fresh mint, very thinly sliced
3 ounces goat cheese
Microgreens, optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare your beets by trimming both ends and halving or quartering, based on size. Wrap them tightly in foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in a preheated oven for an hour, until easily pierced with a fork.
During the last 10 minutes or so of roasting, place hazelnuts on a small skillet or baking sheet. Toast until nutty, 8-10 minutes.
While the beets roast, prepare your oranges and vinaigrette. With a sharp knife, carefully cut the ends of your oranges and then peel with your knife, reserving the peels. Remove the segments and place in a large bowl. This is called supremeing your oranges and here’s a great tutorial if you’re new to it.
Squeeze the reserved peels and pith of the oranges into a small bowl. You’ll get a good amount of orange juice, probably ¼ – ⅓ cup. Measure out 3 tablespoons into a small bowl. Drink the rest or save for another use.
Add oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to the orange juice. Whisk until smooth, creamy, and emulsified. Add mint and set aside.
Remove the beets from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the peel with your hands, a vegetable peeler, or a sharp knife. Cut beets in half and then cut into wedges. Add to the large bowl with oranges and pour dressing over. Toss until well-coated. Add goat cheese and toss again.
Right before serving, top beet orange mixture with toasted hazelnuts and a pile or microgreens or fresh herbs. Sprinkle with salt and devour immediately.
This is a beautiful bright salad for citrus season or when you have an overload of beets from the market or your CSA share. If you are preparing this salad during citrus season, feel free to use an array of citrus fruits (navel orange, clementine, grapefruit, and/or blood orange) instead of just plain oranges.
This is also a recipe that can withstand a generous amount of fresh herbs. If you have basil, dill, chives, or more mint on hand, cut finely and use instead of the microgreens or to add heft to the salad. There’s really no limit on how much can be used!
