Roasted Red Beet Salad

Roasted Red Beet Salad
Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi


This healthy and delicious salad is my new favourite way to eat beets. The sweetness of the beets and maple syrup is balance perfectly with the bitterness of the arugula. My friend Kathy planted and grew chervil just for my Ottolenghi dinner. I have the best friends. If you can't find chervil, you can substitute it with fresh parsley or tarragon or a combination of both.   Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 lbs red beets
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
6 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/4 cups chervil leaves plus more for garnish
4 cups baby arugula
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Wash the beets well and wrap them in aluminum foil individually. Bake in the oven for anything from 40-90 minutes, depending on their size. Check each one as cooking times can vary a lot: the beets should be tender when pierced with a sharp knife.

2. Spread the sunflower sides out in an ovenproof dish and toasted in the oven alongside the beets for 8 minutes, just until lightly colored.

3. Once the beets are ready, unwrap them and peel with a small knife while still warm. Cut each into halves, quarters or 3/4-1 1/4 inch dice.

4. Mix the beets with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Toss well then taste: there should be a clear sweetness balanced by enough salt. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, sprinkle with more chervil and serve.

1 comment:

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Exactly the kind of beet salad I love. At the Italian deli they also put walnuts into it. Thanks so much for the recipe Paula.

 
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