A delicious beet salad featuring all the best spring produce.
YIELDS
4
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1 small shallot, finely diced
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon zest
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Beets and Asparagus
3 medium red or gold beets, cooked and cut into wedges
Salt and black pepper
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, briefly blanched in salted water and cooled
Assemble and Serve
4 handfuls salad greens, preferably a mix of arugula and lettuce, such as Little Gem or red oak
1 medium watermelon radish, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 bunch small radishes or baby turnips, trimmed and halved
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
4 eggs, boiled for 7 to 8 minutes, then cooled, peeled and halved
1 cup fresh mixed herbs, such as tarragon, basil, mint, dill
Directions
Vinaigrette
Put the shallot in a small bowl, and add a pinch of salt, lemon juice and zest, and mustard. Stir until the salt dissolves, then whisk in olive oil.
Taste, and add more salt and pepper to taste.
Beets and Asparagus
To cook beets, place in a roasting pan with one inch of water, tightly cover with foil and bake at 375° F until tender, about one hour. Once cool enough to handle but still warm, slip the skins off the beets. Peeled beets will keep refrigerated for up to a week.
To cook asparagus, snap off the tough ends, then simmer in salted water for two to three minutes, depending on thickness. Remove and spread out on a plate to cool.
Assemble and Serve
Start preparing the salad: Put beet wedges in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and toss with two tablespoons of vinaigrette. Set aside.
Put salad leaves in a large mixing bowl, salt very lightly, and dress with one tablespoon of vinaigrette. Divide among individual plates or arrange on a platter. Scatter beets, radishes, and fennel over leaves. Arrange asparagus spears over the top and add egg halves. Season eggs with salt and pepper.
Top with herbs and drizzle remaining vinaigrette over salad and serve. Enjoy!