Lightly Smoked Beet Salad Food

LIGHTLY-SMOKED BEET SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place beets in a large baking dish, setting aside the prettiest beet; drizzle beets in baking dish with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Cover with parchment-lined aluminum foil and transfer to oven. Bake until tender, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath. Thinly slice reserved beet and carrots crosswise on a mandoline; transfer to ice-water bath and let stand 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Slice the top and bottom of whole grapefruit with a paring knife. Set one of the flat sides on your work surface. From top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit, cut away peel and white pith. Trim off any remaining pith. Holding the grapefruit over a bowl, cut along both sides of each segment, staying close to the membrane, to release. Discard membrane. Set grapefruit slices aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together grapefruit juice, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil until emulsified; set vinaigrette aside.
• Once beets are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to peel away skin. Place peeled beets on the rack of on indoor smoker or a wire rack if using an outdoor grill. If using an indoor smoker, preheat a grill pan over low heat in a well ventilated area. Place wood chips in smoker and top with rack. Carefully light wood chips; cover and place on grill pan. If using a grill, preheat to low with a small fire lit off to one corner. Place wire rack on grill and top charcoal with wood chips; close grill. Let beets smoke for 20 minutes.
• Transfer smoked beets to a large bowl along with sliced beets and carrots, grapefruit slices, arugula, herbs, and pistachios. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with cheese. Serve.

BEET SALAD

Steps:

• Place sliced beets in large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and caraway seeds. Slowly add oil in a stream and continue whisking. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the beets leaving 3 tablespoons of dressing in the small bowl. Add the radishes and scallions to the remaining dressing in the small bowl and toss to coat. Place the lettuce on a platter and top with beets. Sprinkle beets with radishes and scallions. Garnish with parsley.

SMOKED MACKEREL SALAD WITH BEETROOT & HORSERADISH DRESSING

Steps:

• For the dressing, tip the shallots into a bowl with the vinegar, season and set aside to soften for a few mins. Mix the diced beetroot and olive oil into the shallots. The dressing can be made up to a day ahead and chilled.
• To serve, lightly toss the leaves with the mackerel and some of the dressing. Place 3 slices of beetroot onto each plate, pile the salad into the centre, then spoon the rest of the dressing around the outside. Spoon little blobs of horseradish around each plate and serve.

BEET AND KALE SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place beets in a large pot, and cover with water. Add enough salt so that the water tastes like the ocean, about 2 tablespoons. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until skins slip easily off beets, about 15 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel beets. Cut red beets into quarters lengthwise and Chioggias into 1/2-inch rounds. Combine beets, 2 tablespoons oil, and the vinegar, and gently toss.
• Place kale in a large bowl, and bruise very roughly with hands. Add 1 tablespoon oil, season with salt and pepper, and massage into leaves 1 minute. Add lemon juice, and toss.
• To serve, make a bed of kale on a platter, and scatter beets on top. Crumble goat cheese into chunks, and scatter over salad. Season with pepper.

PICKLED BEET SALAD WITH WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Place beet and onion pieces in medium bowl; toss to combine. Set aside. Working over a bowl, cut away peel, pith, and outer membranes from oranges; cut flesh away from membranes, collecting sections and juice in bowl. Squeeze juice from membranes before discarding them. Set fruit and juice aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Pour liquid over reserved beet-and-onion mixture; let stand until vinegar mixture reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Add reserved orange segments, juice, and dried cranberries; toss gently.
• Place watercress in large serving bowl. With a slotted spoon, spoon beet mixture over watercress. Serve.