Chioggia Beets With Raspberry Mint Vinaigrette Food

CHIOGGIA BEETS WITH RASPBERRY MINT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Cover beets with water by 1 inch in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and simmer until tender when pierced in center with a fork, about 30 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then slip off and discard skins. Cut beets into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• While beets are cooking, stir together scallions, 2 tablespoons vinegar, lemon juice to taste, mint, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Add warm beets and toss with vinaigrette and vinegar and salt to taste. Serve warm or slightly chilled.
• *Sometimes called candy-cane beets, chioggias become more aggressive in flavor as they age, so search out relatively young beets, with a diameter of 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH RASPBERRY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• To Roast the Beets: Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F Rub the beets with the olive oil and wrap them together in a large piece of aluminum foil. Put the beets in a small roasting pan or baking dish and roast them for 50 minutes to an hour, until they are tender when a knife is inserted in the center.
• Remove the foil packet from the pan and let the beets cool on the foil before unwrapping. Using your fingers, peel the beets over the foil. The skins should slip off easily; if not, use a paring knife. Cut the beets into 1/4-inch matchstick slices and reserve.
• To make the Vinaigrette: Put the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, onion, jam, mustard, and sugar in the container of a blender or food processor. Process until well blended and emulsified. (You should have 1 cup.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To Assemble the salad: In a large salad bowl, toss the greens, beets, and walnuts with half of the dressing. Season to taste with pepper. Top each serving with some of the cheese. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.