Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

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Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Recipe type: Salad
 
This is one of the most delicious salads you will ever eat, if you like beets and goat cheese. The only downside is that it really is one of those recipes for which you must use the best ingredients. That means super-fresh beets and basil, and goat cheese from Shellbark Hollow, preferably the sharp chevre (I or II, depending on your preference). The olive oil does need to be fruity, fresh, and high-quality. If everything is top-notch you will end up with a happy beet party in your mouth.
Ingredients
  • One bunch beets - 5 or 6 fat beets (North Star, Blueberry Hill, Lime Valley Mill Farms)
  • 4 ounces Shellbark Hollow Sharp goat cheese (Shellbark Hollow)
  • 12 leaves of basil, cut in a julienne (Blueberry Hill, Lime Valley Mill Farms)
  • Roughly 1 or 2 tablespoons of good, fruity, extra-virgin, cold pressed olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Sea salt or fleur de sel to taste (you’ll want a nice briny salt).
Instructions
  1. Roast the beets in a 350 degree oven. To roast the beets, cut the tops and bottoms off and wash thoroughly. Place on some aluminum foil and crimp the sides together to make a solid packet. Roast for about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. When the beets are cool, peel the skins off (they will come off easily just using your fingers) and chop into ½ inch chunks. Don’t do this in a white silk blouse, OK? Beet juice is indelible and gets everywhere.
  2. Place the beet s in a bowl, crumble the goat cheese into the beets, add the julienned basil, drizzle olive oil, and give a nice stir. Add some freshly ground pepper and stir again. Add a few dollops of olive oil to the top of the salad, dust with the fleur de sel, and serve. Yumyumyum. You will be happy.