Here’s a riff on a salad I had at a friend’s restaurant. I use baby arugula in lieu of basil, but if you can find basil, use it by all means. I cook the beets longer than I usually would so they take on a texture similar to tomatoes, and you could use different colored beets just as you might use various tomato types, just remember to keep the red beets separate while prepping until the last moment as they will stain everything.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch beets, stems trimmed to 1 inch, well washed2 cups young tender/baby arugula, washed and dried
1 large fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese ball (approx. 8 ounces), quartered lengthwise and sliced into thin slices (approx. 1/4 inch)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus more as needed
1 small shallot, minced
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or as needed
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, plus 3-4 sprigs
METHOD:
Heat oven to 425°F. While oven heats, place beets in oven proof dish and drizzle with olive oil (around 1 tablespoon), 1 tablespoon water, salt and pepper, and thyme sprigs. Cover tightly with foil and when oven reaches temperature, place in center of oven and roast for 1 hour. Cook the beets until they are quite tender. While the beets cook, make the dressing. Place the minced shallot into the 2 tablespoons of vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper, and allow flavors to marry 15 minutes. Add the minced thyme and then drizzle in oil in a steady stream, whisking all the while, until the dressing is thick and emulsified. When beets are tender soft they are done. As soon as you can handle beets without burning yourself, slip them from their skins, using a sharp paring knife as needed. Trim the ends and then slice them into ¼ inch slices. Place in non-reactive bowl and drizzle with a little red wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to cool, tossing every once in a while. When cool, toss beets with a little dressing.
Set out plates, and then bowls with cheese and beets. Sprinkle plates with arugula, and then use one hand to place a piece of cheese and the other to place a slice of beet on that, continuing until one quarter of the ingredients are used. Repeat with the other 3 plates. Drizzle plates with dressing and then a touch of salt and pepper, and serve.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can just toss the cheese and beets together and sprinkle with the arugula, or mix them all together. If you have basil, tear up the basil leaves and mix in with the cheese or sprinkle over. If you use different colored beets, you might want to keep them away from the red beets until you serve, or else the red beets will stain everything else.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
