Thursday, October 10, 2013

Great Fall Salad: Beet and Apple Salad with Horseradish Vinaigrette

(re-post of a popular recipe from Chef Lee's food column in Redlands Daily Facts.com) Beet and Apple Salad with Horseradish Vinaigrette For visual appeal, a mandolin is useful for preparing this recipe. Hand mandolins can be found at kitchen supply stores at an economical price. Alternatively, larger and more durable mandolins can be found at a higher price point, while offering a wider array of sizes and shapes of cuts. FOR VINAIGRETTE: 1 tablespoon brown mustard 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 1/4 cup raspberry vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste FOR SALAD: 1 pound beets, mixed red and golden if available 1/4 cup green onion, minced 1 tablespoon chives, minced 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 apples, sweet or tart, julienned 1/2 cup celery, sliced 1/4-inch thick 3 cups mixture of endive, romaine and radicchio (or substitute with mixture of farmers' market greens with mixture of colors) DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients, except olive oil, in bowl and whisk rapidly (or use food processor or mixer). Slowly add the oil until emulsified. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Leaving the roots and 1 inch of stem on beets, rinse thoroughly. Bake with 1/4-inch of water, covered, 25 to 40 minutes or until beets can be easily peeled with a knife. Cool. When beets are cool enough to handle peel and julienne. Toss the beets with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and half green onions. Combine chives, parsley and apples with the celery and remaining green onions. Toss with 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Dress greens/leaves with vinaigrette. Place leaves on chilled plate. Place a serving of beets on top of the greens, add celery, apples scattered on top. Serve chilled.