Beet Salad with Goat Cheese + Pistachio Dust
Microgreens make everything look a bit more fancy!
This is how the beets will look after dressing with evoo, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese + Pistachio Dust
I did not always love beets. I get that they are root vegetables, but the first few times I had them, I thought they tasted like literal dirt. We had a strained relationship until I really learned the different ways to prepare them, and different ingredients to pair them with. When you buy beets early in the season, and are lucky enough to snag some with those beautiful greens still attached, you are getting a two for one deal. Beet greens are basically chard (I know, mind-blown), and I love sautéing them with sliced garlic and a hit of acid (as in lemon or vinegar lol) at the end, for breakfast with fried eggs.
This salad is a classic, and you can even cook the beets ahead of time.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings as a side dish
Ingredients:
3 Bunches of Beets (you can use a mix of golden, red and chioggia, if you wish!), all about the same size, scrubbed, tops and bottoms cut off. Cut any larger beets in half so that they are all about the same size (you want them to all cook evenly).
1/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
2 T Evoo
1/4 Cup- 1/2 Cup Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 Cup Toasted Pistachios, Chopped Finely
4 oz Good Quality Goat Cheese (you probably won’t use it all)
To Serve (optional):
Microgreens
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place prepared beets in a baking pan, and pour water over top. Place aluminum foil on top and wrap tightly. Place on the middle rack in oven.
Cooking time will vary, depending on the size of your beets. Start checking at about 25-30 minutes. I look for the smaller variety, and it usually takes about 35 minutes. The beets are done when they are all fork tender (you should easily be able to smoothly puncture with a fork).
While the beets are cooking, chop the pistachios until quite fine, but not until they all resemble saw dust - you want a little bit of texture. Put aside.
When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, and cut off any debris that is left - I like to do this step with gloves. Depending on how big they are, cut them in half or into quarters, and pile into a bowl. Toss with evoo and vinegar, and a little salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Place the beets on a platter and crumble pieces of goat cheese all around, and sprinkle with pistachios. Top with microgreens.
