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Beet and Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese
From The Wine Sense Diet
Candied
pecans:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Pinch
of salt
1 pound pecan pieces
Salad:
3 bunches baby beets (preferably a mixture of red, gold and chioggia
beets), washed and with tops removed
4 ounces (preferably baby) spinach or arugula, washed and spun dry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3/4 to 1 cup olive oil (does not need to be virgin or extra-virgin
olive oil) |
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To
prepare candied pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two
sheet trays with nonstick spray.
Place
honey, sugar, water and salt in a large saucepan over high heat
and boil to dissolve sugar. Add pecans and continue cooking until
nuts are totally covered with syrup and bottom of pan is dry.
Remove
from heat, and pour out onto one of the sheet trays. Place in the
oven and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 to 12 minutes until
nuts are dark brown. Remove from oven and transfer nuts onto the
other sheet tray. Place tray in freezer to cool them quickly. As
soon as they are cool enough to handle, break them up to keep them
from sticking together. Store in an airtight container in the freezer
until ready to use.
To
prepare salad: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets in foil.
Place
in the oven and roast until easily pierced with a knife, about 1
hour. Remove
from oven. Unwrap foil, wait until cool enough to handle, and peel
and cut into thick slices. Set aside.
In
a stainless steel bowl, place the sherry wine vinegar, shallot and
salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
In
two separate bowls, place both spinach and beets with chopped dill.
Pour vinaigrette (just enough to coat) over the spinach and the
beets; toss.
On
chilled plates, make a bed of spinach, top with beets and sprinkle
with about 1/2 cup of the candied pecans and the goat cheese.
Yields
6 servings.
(Updated: 10/21/08 SN) |
