Chef Tony Priolo (Piccolo Sogno) revivifies the beet and goat cheese combo with bitter greens, dry-roasted nuts, and a touch of citrus. Genesis Growers at Green City Market has got the goods, and Priolo says to go wild with the colors: “Red are earthy, golden milder. Chioggia heirlooms look like candy canes and are slightly sweeter.”
Tony Priolo’s Beet Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Salad
| 1 lb. | Beets |
| Olive oil | |
| Sea salt | |
| ⅛ cup | Hazelnuts, crushed |
| 1 bunch | Watercress (about 4 oz.), stems removed |
| ⅛ lb. | Goat cheese, crumbled |
Dressing
| ¼ cup | Olive oil |
| ⅛ cup | Red wine vinegar |
| 1 Tbsp. | Lemon juice |
| 1 Tbsp. | Orange juice |
| Sea salt and pepper to taste |
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Drizzle the unpeeled beets with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and roast in a foil-covered pan for an hour. Cool, peel, slice into disks, and refrigerate.
3. Place the hazelnuts on a dry pan and roast for 3 minutes in a 350-degree oven.
4. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
5. Arrange the beets, alternating colors, around the rim of a serving plate. Splash with a few tablespoons of the dressing.
6. Toss the rest of the dressing with the watercress and arrange in the center of the beets. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and hazelnuts.
Tips: Wear gloves when peeling the beets to prevent staining. For a little extra zing, scatter Mandarin orange segments over the beets.