Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Mousse and Walnut Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy of Terrance Brennan, Artisanal Restaurants

Serves 4

One of the most enduring pairings to grace a salad plate is the classic bistro duo of creamy, fresh goat cheese and cooled, roasted beets. Like Bogart and Bacall, beets and goat cheese have chemistry; they belong together. The sweet beets perfectly complement the tang of the cheese. A particularly remarkable thing about this combination is that it’s complete — beets and goat cheese are all you need for a salad — yet it invites embellishment. Here, the flavors are enhanced with chopped, toasted walnuts, the clean crunch of Belgian endive, peppery arugula, and walnut vinaigrette.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs beets, skin on, scrubbed

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c coarsely chopped walnuts

1 c (4 oz) fresh goat cheese, room temp. Artisanal recommend the Petite Mothias or Catskill

1 teaspoon walnut oil

Black pepper in a mill

3/4 lb Belgian endive, split and cut crosswise into ¾ -inch pieces

2 oz arugula, tough stems discarded, well washed

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon finely diced shallots

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bundle and wrap the beets in aluminum foil, rubbing each first in olive oil. Bake on a sheetpan until a knife pierces easily into the center, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Set aside to cool, then peel and cut into a 3/4 inch dice.

2. Toast the walnuts in a sauté pan over medium heat, shaking constantly, until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3. Put the goat cheese and walnut oil in a bowl and stir vigorously until the cheese is whipped a mousse-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

4. Combine the vinegar and shallots in a mixing bowl and slowly whisk in the oil. Add the salt and pepper and whisk until thoroughly combined.

5. Combine the beets, endive, arugula, and walnuts in a bowl and drizzle with walnut vinaigrette.

6. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates. Top with a tablespoon of goat cheese before serving.