roasted beet and goat cheese salad
  more photos:
 
 
roasted beet and goat cheese salad

A light delicious salad that just sings with flavour from the beets, goat cheese and dressing. You couldn't ask for more as an appetizer, a side salad or a main course for a light lunch.

ingredients:

  2 medium beets, scrubbed and trimmed, leaving about 1 inch of stems attached
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  salt and pepper
  8 ounces soft goat cheese, cut into 8 round slices
  ¾ cup bread crumbs
  ½ teaspoon salt
  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  2 eggs
  1 tablespoon olive oil for pan-frying goat cheese
 
  Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
  1 ½ teaspoons maple dijon Mustard
  2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  2 tablespoons pink peppercorns
  ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  ½ cup high quality extra-virgin olive oil
  4 cups mixed baby salad greens

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Drizzle beets with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap beets tightly in foil and roast in middle of oven 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Unwrap beets carefully and cool until they can be handled.

2. Discard stems and peel beets. Beets may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Slice each beet into ½ inch slices and cover, setting aside until needed - bringing to room temperature before serving.

3. In a bowl stir together bread crumbs, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with remaining salt and pepper. Coat each piece of cheese evenly with egg mixture and then with crumb mixture, pressing gently, and transfer to a baking sheet or small tray. Goat cheese may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely. Chill for at least one hour.

4. Preheat pan with oil. Fry goat cheese, turning after a few minutes until crumbs are lightly browned on both sides - about 2 minutes.

5. Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients except for the oil. Slowly stream in oil while continuing to whisk ingredients to emulsify. In a bowl toss salad greens with half of vinaigrette. Arrange greens, beets, and goat cheese on 4 salad plates and drizzle remaining vinaigrette over salad.

recipe origin: A Domestic Goddess Original