Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Chevre Fondue and Sherry Vinaigrette

(Molly M. Peterson, Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy)

This delicious and boldly flavorful salad came to Haystack from Chef Matt Christianson, of Q’s Restaurant at the Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado. This recipe appears in Forrest Pritchard's "Growing Tomorrow."

Cook Time:2 hours

Prep Time:10 min

Total Time:2 hours10 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3 pound Medium beets

1/2 cup Olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked white pepper

Chèvre Fondue (recipe follows)

Sherry Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1 pound Arugula

3 to 4 tablespoon local honey

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

8 ounce Haystack Mountain Chèvre, if available in your area, or other soft goat cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Sherry vinegar + extra as needed

2 tablespoon Minced shallot

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Local honey

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly ground white pepper

1 1/4 cup Olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the beets in a large bowl, then add the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the beets. Transfer the beets to a large, deep baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Roast until the beets feel tender when pierced with a small knife, about 2 hours.

While the beets are roasting, prepare the Sherry Vinaigrette and Chèvre Fondue from the recipes that follow.

Let the roasted beets cool slightly; when cool enough to handle, remove the skins and dice the beets into 1⁄4-inch cubes.* Set aside.

Toss the arugula lightly in some of the vinaigrette, then plate it on a serving dish. Toss the diced beets in some vinaigrette as well—if desired, you can use a ring mold to form the beets into an attractive shape. Lay the beets on top of the arugula. Drizzle the Chèvre Fondue and honey around the plate. Enjoy! *Use a paper towel to peel the skins off the beets; the friction of the towel helps them peel faster. Also, consider wearing gloves if you don’t want the juice to stain your hands.

Pour the cream into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer over low heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Add the goat cheese, whisking until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep in a warm place until needed.

Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, and honey together in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, and whisk to incorporate. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season with additional salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar as needed.