Beets And Brussels Sprouts Salad In A Jar Food

WINTER LAYERED SALAD WITH BEETS AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts out on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, and roughly chop.
• Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the barley, and simmer until plumped and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Strain and rinse under cold water. (The barley can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.)
• Use a sharp knife to remove peel and pith from the grapefruits. Cut the grapefruits into pieces, and remove the seeds.
• Whisk the vinegar, shallots, mustard, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly, until blended into a vinaigrette.
• Using a 3-quart straight-sided tall glass bowl for 1 large salad or four 16-ounce wide-mouth glass jars for 4 individual salads, make a first layer with half the mesclun, then add the following in separate layers: the grapefruit, the Brussels sprouts, the barley, the beets, and the remaining mesclun. Sprinkle the walnuts and pomegranate seeds on top.
• If making 1 salad, just before serving, transfer it to a large bowl, toss with the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. If making 4 salads, add vinaigrette to each jar, season with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and shake to coat.

BEETS AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD-IN-A-JAR

Steps:

• Special equipment: four 32-ounce wide-mouthed glass jars with lids
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts out on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, and roughly chop.
• Meanwhile, make the barley: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the barley, and simmer until plumped and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Strain and rinse under cold water. (The barley can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.)
• Prepare the grapefruit: Remove the peel and pith from the grapefruits with a sharp knife. Cut the grapefruits into pieces, and remove the seeds.
• Make the vinaigrette: Whisk the vinegar, shallots, mustard, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly, until blended into a vinaigrette.
• Assemble the salads: Using four 32-ounce wide-mouthed glass jars with lids, divide the beets evenly among the jars, then add the following in separate layers: the spinach, Brussels sprouts, barley and grapefruit. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds on top. Pack the vinaigrette in a separate container (about 3 tablespoons per salad).
• Just before serving, transfer the jarred ingredients to a large bowl, toss with the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.

GOLDEN BEETS AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Steps:

• The beets take the longest to cook so start them first. Either boil them in water in a small saucepan for 45 minutes, or roast them in the oven at 350°F for an hour fifteen minutes.
• Roasting will give you better flavor, but takes longer and uses a lot more energy (unless you are already cooking something in the oven).
• When done, set aside to cool for 10 minutes, peel and chop into 1 x 1/2 inch chunks.
• While beets are cooking you may want to toast your almond slivers if you are starting with raw almonds.
• Just heat a skillet to medium high heat and put in the almonds. Stir frequently with a spatula. When the almonds begin to brown, remove from pan into a small bowl. Let cool, set aside.
• Remove any outer leaves that look a bit ragged from the brussels sprouts. Bring a small saucepan half filled with water to a boil and parboil the brussels sprouts for 2-3 minutes.
• They should be almost all the way cooked through. (Test by cutting one in half.) Set aside for 5 minutes to cool, cut off any protruding tough stem on each sprout and cut each sprout in half.
• 4 In a medium sized skillet heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add the shallot slices and cook until translucent, a few minutes.
• Add another tablespoon of olive oil and raise the heat to medium high. Add the sprouts and beets to the pan, along with the thyme and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook for 1 minute more, stirring. Remove from heat and serve. Can serve warm or at room temperature.