Golden Beet Salad
3 large red beets (1 2/3 lb without greens)
2 large golden beets (1 lb without greens)
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup pistachio oil
4 oz soft mild goat cheese
3 tablespoons salted shelled pistachios (not dyed red), coarsely chopped
1 oz mâche (also called lamb’s lettuce), trimmed (4 cups)
Special equipment: a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (without handle; at least 2 inches high)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Separately wrap red and golden beets tightly in double layers of foil and roast in middle of oven until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap beets.
While beets are cooling slightly, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then add oil in a stream, whisking.
When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off and discard skins. Separately cut red and golden beets into 1/4-inch dice and put in separate bowls. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons dressing to each bowl and toss to coat.
Place cookie cutter in center of 1 of 8 salad plates. Put one eighth of red beets in cutter and pack down with your fingertips. Crumble 2 teaspoons goat cheese on top, then one eighth of golden beets, packing them down. Gently lift cutter up and away from stack. Make 7 more servings in same manner. Drizzle each plate with 1 teaspoon dressing and scatter with some pistachios.
Toss mâche with just enough remaining dressing to coat and gently mound on top of beets. Serve immediately.
Cooks’ notes:
• Beets can be roasted and diced 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Molded beet salad (without mâche) can be assembled 45 minutes ahead and kept, covered, at cool room temperature.
Baked Salmon with Cranberry Crust
This recipe comes from my friend, John Aleshire, who heads the Indianapolis Humane Society. There’s a previous post about his work with a website for the Indianapolis Humane Society.
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four 6 – 7 oz salmon fillets
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Salt and Pepper
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Dijon mustard
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3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) Regular will do if you can’t find these
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1/4 cup dried cranberries
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1/4 cup chopped green onion
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3 Tablespoons melted butter
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2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
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2 Teaspoons grated lemon peel
Preheat oven to 375. Oil baking sheet. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place skin side down on sheet. Brush flesh side with Dijon mustard
Combine panko, cranberries, 2 tablespoons melted butter, thyme, and lemon peel in medium bowl and blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon misture on to the salmon. Press to adhere. Drizzle with remaining melted butter. Bake until topping is golden and salmon is just opaque in center, about 20-25 minutes
