Thankfully, citrus is in season all winter long. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes make cold, snowy days a little brighter. We love adding citrus to salads to freshen up root vegetables and dark leafy greens. Toss in some nuts for crunch and pair with a tangy vinaigrette to play off the acid in the fruit. Roasting your own beets isn’t hard, but it does take an hour or so. If you’d like to skip this step, many grocery stores carry roasted beets in their prepared foods section or salad bar area. This salad can be prepared in advanced and refrigerated, and tossed with the dressing just before serving.
- 1 large beet red or yellow
- 1 bunch spinach or baby kale or mixed leaf lettuce, washed and dried
- 1 avocado
- 1 medium orange such as navel or cara cara
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sumac optional
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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Preheat the oven to 375.
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Wash and trim the beet, wrap in foil and place in the oven. Roast until softened, about 60-90 minutes depending on the size of your beet. Let cool, then cut into cubes.
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Place the greens in a large salad bowl. Scatter over top the cooled beets and pistachios, and tear the basil leaves into smaller pieces and add them. Peel the orange and separate the segments. Cut each segment into 2-3 bite sized pieces and add to the bowl. Cut the avocado into cubes and add it as well.* Top with the crumbled feta cheese.
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To make the dressing, grate the garlic clove in a jar with a seal-able lid, or a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and vinegar and let sit for a few minutes so that the acid “cooks” the garlic slightly and takes the spicy edge off. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine, or add the lid to the jar and shake vigorously.
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To serve, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
* If assembling the salad ahead of time, cut the avocado and add it to the salad just before serving so that it does not turn brown.
Try with The Emily ’17.
