This show-stopping dish is worth the effort.
“The alternating red and white hues of the beets and cheese create an incredible color scheme,” says Antony J. Ballard, a personal chef based in North Salem. (Serves eight)
Sherry Vinaigrette
- ½ cup sherry vinegar
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp white wine mustard, such as Dijon
- 1 Tbsp minced shallot
- ½ cup olive oil
In a medium bowl, combine sherry vinegar, sugar, mustard, and shallots. Slowly pour in the oil, whisking constantly, until the mixture is combined.
Salad
- 8 large beets
- About 3 cups coarse salt
- 1 lb soft goat cheese
- 1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash and trim beets, leaving about 1 inch of stem. In a baking dish, pour in enough salt to create a half-inch layer in the bottom of the dish. Position beets root-end down in salt. Roast for about 90 minutes or until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Remove beets from salt and place in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and allow to cool. Slip skins off beets, trim ends, and slice each beet crosswise into quarter-inch discs. Place goat cheese into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe in-between each layer of beet and rebuild the beet. Just before you are ready to serve, place beets on a baking sheet and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Place on a serving platter and drizzle with vinaigrette. Garnish with walnuts.
