Roasted Golden Beet & Goat Cheese Napoleons Wi... |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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This is a salad that is so elegant looking that guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen. Golden beets are roasted until tender, then sliced and layered with fresh goat cheese & chive filling. Feel free to use red beets (you can use any color combination you like: all yellow, all red, or alternating colors! Read more !) as well as different nuts, such as candied walnuts or plain, toasted hazelnuts. Ingredients:
2 extra large golden beets |
assorted organic baby lettuces, washed, dried and torn by hand |
citrus vinaigrette |
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (hazelnut oil or walnut oil is wonderful too) |
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice |
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice |
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar |
zest of one large orange |
1 tablespoon honey |
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt |
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
candied pecans |
1 cup raw pecans pieces |
4 tablespoons granulated sugar |
goat cheese filling |
8 oz. fromage de chèvre |
a few tablespoons of heavy cream |
fresh chives, chopped |
freshly ground black pepper, to taste |
Directions:
1. For the beets: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place each beet on a piece of foil and wrap tightly. Roast on a sheet pan (juice escapes sometimes) for about 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. Using your fingers or a small, sharp knife, peel off the beet skin and trim the ends.
2. Tip: Beets can vary widely in cooking time. Large fresh beets can take up to 1 1/2 hours. To test, place a small, sharp knife in the center; the beet should feel soft and tender all the way through.
3. For the vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients in a jar or a tight-sealing plastic container. Shake to blend.
4. For the pecans: Toast nuts until oils are released in non-stick skillet. Add sugar and stir until sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Line a plate with parchment paper and pour nuts out, spreading them to cool.
5. For the filling: Place the goat cheese in a small bowl. Using the back of spoon or a rubber spatula, cream the cheese, adding cream as needed, until soft and the chives are fully incorporated. (The beets and cheese filling can be made a day ahead of time; cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.)
6. To assemble the napoleons, place one of the beet rounds on a firm, flat surface and begin to layer. Spread with an even layer of goat cheese, then another beet round, another layer of cheese, another beet round, a third layer of cheese, and a beet round. (Continue until you have four layers of beets and four layers of cheese.)
7. Carefully cut through layers, dividing into three wedges. Repeat with the remaining beets and cheese.
8. To serve, arrange three of the wedges, pointed ends facing out, in a circle in the center of each plate. Toss the baby lettuces with a little of the citrus vinaigrette and mound on each end of plate. Drizzle more of the citrus over the beet stacks. Sprinkle with candied nuts and orange zest from the vinagrette on top. Sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.
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