Roasted Beet and Apple Salad
- 3 large beets (about 2 pounds)
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into ½-inch dice
- 8 large red lettuce leaves
- 5 ounces Roquefort or blue cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup toasted, peeled, and coarsely chopped hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ÂĽ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
Instructions:
The salad has many different textures and flavors that meld together into a beautiful crimson mélange.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. If the beets have their greens attached, trim the greens, leaving about 1 inch of the stems attached to the beets. Scrub the beets under cold running water. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with the tip of a long, sharp knife, about 1½ hours, depending on the size of the beets. Cool completely without unwrapping the beets.
- Unwrap the beets and peel them. Cut into ¾-inch cubes. Place in self-sealing plastic bags and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
- To make the dressing, in a large bowl, whisk together the balsamic and cider vinegars, the sugar, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the beets and apples and mix.
- To serve, place a lettuce leaf on each plate, and spoon the salad onto the lettuce. Top each salad with some of the cheese and hazelnuts. Serve chilled.