Roasted Beet Salad with pickled carrots, watercress, pistachio and Capriole Wabash cannonball

serves 4

Ingredients

3 bunches baby beets with tops, red, gold or candystripe will do
Pickled baby carrots, 12 ea (recipe follows)
Watercress, stem removed, 2 bunches
Toasted pistachios, ½ cup
Minced chives, ¼ cup
Finely chopped flat leaf parsley, ¼ cup
Salt and fresh cracked white pepper, to taste
Fine quality estate bottled extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons plus more for drizzling
Fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons
Fine quality aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Capriole Wabash cannon ball, two 3oz balls, sliced a ¼ in. thick

 

Preparation

  1. Wash the beets thoroughly and cut tops off leaving and inch or so on the beet. If the tops are clean and crisp save for a salad or to sauté as a side dish.
  2. Place the beets in a large sauce pot and cover with cold water and ½ cup of kosher salt.
  3. Bring the water to a boil and turn down to a simmer, slowly cook beets until they can be easily poked with a knife. About 25 minutes at a simmer.
  4. Once, cooked shock the beets in ice water. Remove from the water, dry and the beets should be very easy to peel. Quarter the beets and put in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Toss the beets with the carrots, watercress, pistachio, chives, parsley, salt, pepper, oil and lemon juice.
  6. To plate: on cold round salad plate, place the sliced cannonball in a triangle pattern leaving an empty space in the center. Place the tossed salad in the center spot and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic to garnish.
  7. Serve immediately.