Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad

Ingredients

• Salad

  700 g red beets

  raw peeled and trimmed edible weight; buy about 850–950 g whole roots; cut into 2 cm cubes

• 15 g extra-virgin olive oil

  for roasting, all retained with the beet juices

• 50 g walnut pieces

  shelled, unsalted, coarsely broken

• 120 g baby arugula

  washed as needed and thoroughly dried

• 80 g baby spinach

  washed as needed and thoroughly dried

• 100 g soft goat cheese

  pasteurized, chilled, crumbled; not feta

• Honey-cider mustard dressing

  25 g apple cider vinegar

  plain, not sweetened glaze

• 12 g honey

  liquid

• 8 g Dijon mustard

  smooth prepared mustard

• 2 g fine salt

  all for the dressing

• ½ g ground black pepper

  all for the dressing

• 25 g extra-virgin olive oil

  for the dressing; 40 g oil total including roasting

Directions

1. Wash, peel and cube the red beets

   Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F conventional. Wash hands and scrub the whole beets under running water before peeling; do not use soap on produce. Trim the tops and tails, peel, then weigh 700 g of edible beet flesh. Cut into fairly even 2 cm cubes. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan. Add the measured 15 g roasting oil and turn the pieces until coated. Keep them in one layer with a little space between pieces, using a large enough tray to avoid crowding. The discarded peel and trimmings are not part of the weighed ingredient amount.

2. Roast until tender, then cool

   Roast the beet cubes for 20 minutes, turn with a spatula, then continue for about 15–25 minutes. A fork should enter the center of the largest cube easily; the edges may darken slightly but should not be blackened or dry. Time depends on the roots and cube size. Scrape all the roasted beets and edible tray juices into a clean shallow dish and spread out. Cool for about 20 minutes, until no longer warm enough to wilt the greens. Do not discard the measured roasting oil or beet juices. Keep cooling prompt and refrigerate if assembly is delayed.

3. Toast the walnuts and whisk the dressing

   While the beets roast, put all 50 g walnut pieces in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly golden; remove immediately to a cool plate. No sugar, salt or oil is added to the nuts. In a small bowl whisk 25 g cider vinegar with 12 g honey until dissolved. Whisk in 8 g Dijon mustard, then all 2 g salt and 0.5 g pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 25 g olive oil until evenly combined. This is the entire dressing allowance; no lemon juice, balsamic glaze or extra seasoning is used.

4. Dry the leaves and dress them lightly

   For loose arugula and spinach, rinse under running water and dry thoroughly in a clean salad spinner or with clean towels. Ready-to-eat prewashed greens may be used according to their label without rewashing. Weigh 120 g arugula and 80 g spinach after drying. Put them in a large bowl and gently toss with about one third of the mixed dressing. Spread the leaves over a serving platter or divide between four plates. Keep the remaining dressing in its bowl for the beets and final drizzle.

5. Layer the cooled beets, cheese and walnuts

   Toss the cooled roasted beets and their retained juices gently with another third of the dressing. Arrange them over the dressed leaves rather than stirring everything vigorously together. Crumble all 100 g chilled pasteurized goat cheese over the beets in small irregular pieces, then scatter all the cooled toasted walnuts. Divide these ingredients evenly if plating four individual salads. Use the listed goat cheese, not feta, and do not add other nuts, fruit, onions or herbs.

6. Finish with the remaining dressing and serve

   Whisk the final third of the dressing again and drizzle it evenly over the completed salad, scraping the bowl so the full measured dressing is used. Serve promptly as four generous side portions. The salad contains no bread, meat, seeds or additional food garnish. Keep cheese and prepared produce at 4°C/40°F or below until needed. Refrigerate assembled leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C/90°F, and use within 24 hours for leaf texture. For make-ahead preparation, refrigerate roasted beets and dressing separately and use within 3 days; keep nuts dry and add the greens, cheese and nuts just before serving.