Dijon Beets Food

BEET, CUCUMBER, AND SWEET ONION SALAD WITH DIJON-HONEY DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet in foil, enclosing completely. Place on rack in oven and bake until beets are tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool in foil. Peel beets, then cut each into 6 slices.
• Arrange beets, slightly overlapping, on half of large platter. Arrange cucumber slices on other half. Scatter onion in center. (Can be made 4 hours ahead; chill.)
• Whisk honey, vinegar, and mustard in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over vegetables.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH HONEY DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• 1. To make vinaigrette: Put oil, vinegar, honey, mustard and garlic in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to mix. Set aside.
• 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place golden beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with oil. Wrap tightly, making a packet. Place on a baking sheet. Do the same with the red beets. Roast for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until knife inserted in largest beet meets no resistance. Remove from oven and cool.
• 3. Remove skins by rubbing off with hands under a stream of cool water.
• 4. To make salad: Roughly chop beets into bite size chunks. Place in a large bowl. Add the onion, dried cranberries, spinach, pecans and gorgonzola. Give the vinaigrette another shake to mix well then pour over beet mixture in bowl. Toss GENTLY to combine.
• 5. NOTE: to toast pecans - place in a single layer on a large non-stick baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning, until toasted and fragrant.

MIXED BEET SALAD WITH MAPLE DIJON DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the tops off the beets leaving about 2 inches of the stalk. Scrub beets well and wrap in foil with 2 beets of equal size in each packet.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until beets yield to gentle pressure; approximately 1 hour. Remove from oven, unwrap and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, slip the skins off of the beets; set aside.
• While the beets are roasting, place the maple syrup through lemon juice in a blender container. Blend until well combined. With blender running, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to blend until thickened.
• To assemble the salad, place the greens in a large bowl and drizzle with a small amount of dressing, toss to coat. Divide the greens among 6 chilled plates. Quarter beets or if large cut in eights and divide among the plates, top with onion rings, sprinkle feta and walnuts over all.
• Serve with addition dressing on the side.