Raspberry, roasted beet, and walnut salad
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Place the beets on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the grapeseed oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting until tender, about 30 minutes more. Transfer into a bowl, toss gently with 3 tablespoons of the vinegar, and let sit until the beets cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- Stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons of vinegar, the shallot, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. (This tames any sharp flavor in the shallot and makes the vinaigrette taste better.) Pour the liquid from the beets into the shallot mixture and set the beets aside. Add the mustard to the shallot mixture, then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil and the walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the lettuces in a large bowl. Drizzle in enough vinaigrette to moisten and toss well with tongs to lightly coat the greens. Spread the greens on a serving platter or divide among serving plates. Top with the beets, walnuts, blue cheese, and raspberries. Serve soon, with any remaining vinaigrette on the side.
- Tips and Techniques. When a salad contains nuts, it’s nice to use oil from that nut in the vinaigrette. These oils can be potent, so a little goes a long way. I usually dilute nut oils with an equal amount of neutrally flavored oil, such as grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or very mild and fruity olive oil. I don’t recommend strong olive oil because its distinct flavor often clashes with the nut oil. Because nut oils go rancid quickly, they are the only type of oil that I store in the refrigerator. Even when stored properly, they stay fresh only about six months. They can also be pricey, so I buy the smallest bottles I can find or share larger bottles with a friend.