Field Greens with Roasted Beets and Fresh Sheep’s Cheese
If you can’t find sheep’s cheese, goat cheese works, too. Both kinds of cheese have a sharp note that plays nicely off the sweetness of the beets.
- 2 shallots, peeled and minced
- 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 fresh beets, any type
- 4 cups mesclun greens (field mix)
- 2 sprigs fresh basil (torn into bitesized pieces)
- 2 sprigs fresh Italian parsley (pick the leaves from the stems)
- 1⁄2 bunch fresh chives, snipped into 1-inch lengths
- 2 heads Belgian endive
- 1⁄4 pound fresh sheep’s cheese (or goat cheese)
Instructions:
This is a lovely salad to make in the spring when beets are at their peak and you can find really fresh field greens in the store, at the farmers’ market, or from your own garden.
- First, make the vinaigrette. Place the shallots in a bowl and add the vinegars. Season with salt and pepper and let sit 15–20 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and adjust the seasonings to taste. Set aside.
- Prepare the beets. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the beets and wrap each one in foil. Roast for about 1 hour or until a knife slides in with ease. Set aside to cool. When cool, peel the beets and cut into wedges. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the mesclun greens, basil, parsley, and chives. Pour half the vinaigrette over the greens and toss until all the greens are coated.
- To assemble the salads, arrange the endive on a platter or on four individual salad plates so that the leaves form a flowerpetal pattern around the edge of the plate. Pile the salad greens in the middle. Arrange the beets on top of the salad greens and drizzle the beets with the remaining vinaigrette. Crumble the cheese over the top and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. You may serve it with crusty bread or pita wedges.