clawing my way back
Recipe: roasted beet, chèvre, hazelnut salad with blood oranges
I’ve been horizontal for the past two days with a blasted flu (not H1N1 as everyone seems to assume). I came down with it during my trip to California last week when we were taking care of stuff for my grandma. Sigh. No good deed goes unpunished. Today, I can finally sit upright for more than a few minutes at a time without passing out.
So I think some of you might be wondering who won the CHEFS gift card? Jeremy and Kaweah had a lot of fun picking the winner yesterday. I was in and out of consciousness while Jeremy was hard at work in the kitchen. He finally presented me with a handful of dog treats etched with a number 0-9 on each one… in binary. Somehow this was more exciting to Jeremy. As long as he’s happy… Kaweah followed him around like a little black shadow, anxious to do her part (that is, to eat the treats).
your nibbly kibbly chances of winning
our dedicated employee
Per the usual routine, we set out all ten digits and recorded the first number she ate. Jeremy is quite practiced at preventing Kaweah from mowing through all ten at once (she’s a quick one, that dog). We replaced the devoured digit with a new one and reshuffled the biscuits. Binary, hexidecimal – they’re all delicious to Kaweah. 3… 0…
there goes the 5
Congratulations to Wend! You were comment #305 and you win the $100 CHEFS gift card! I’ll be emailing you to get your snail mail address so CHEFS can ship it to you right away.
But wait, there’s more! I have a $25 CHEFS gift card from the BlogHer Food conference back in September that I never used. A $25 card means only one thing – I’m going to spend way more than $25… I’d rather give that card to one of you. So Jeremy took the winning number 305 as a seed for a random number selection (Kaweah had eaten plenty for the day) and we have #33 – Paula! Congratulations to Paula! I’ll contact you shortly to get your mailing address too.
So this here flu has played havoc with my holiday schedule and I’m left digging around in the archives for something to share. I can only handle thinking about holiday fare for a day or two and then my brain revolts. The cookies, the sweets, the large cooked animals, the cream, the starches, the fat – they make me so sleepy. I find greens and citrus to be light and refreshing. Salads leave me feeling recharged and ready to spring to action!
some golden beets
a few blood oranges
I often wonder if I really need a recipe for a salad. I look at them as permutations of favorite ingredients. Chop, crumble, toss. This salad was inspired by a favorite salad I like to order at The Kitchen: roast beets with chèvre and hazelnuts. Of course, I like oranges in my salads.
supreme the oranges
peel the roasted beets
The beets and oranges swapped roles here because I typically use red beets and orange… oranges. Neat how that worked out. I had served this salad at a dinner party we hosted in October – big hit with the dinner crowd. Even if you don’t feel like eating it, it’s awfully colorful and pretty just to look at.
toast the hazelnuts to pop the skins
everything is assembled
For the dressing, I toggle between a quick balsamic vinaigrette or a quick orange vinaigrette – it all depends on how much punch you want in the dressing (the orange vinaigrette is mellower). So if you’re looking to take a break from the heavy heavy of the holidays, this salad will do you right.
just the pick-me-up i could use
Roasted Beet, Chèvre, Hazelnut Salad with Blood Oranges
[print recipe]
2-3 medium beets, trimmed of the ends and scrubbed clean
1 cup whole hazelnuts
3 oranges, supremed
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
6-8 oz. salad greens (your choice), rinsed and shaken
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or fresh squeezed orange juice
up to 1 cup olive oil
sugar
salt
pepper
Roast the beets by double wrapping them in a sealed foil pouch and baking in a 400°F oven for 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before opening the pouch. When the beets have cooled, peel the skin away with your hands and slice or dice the beets. Toast the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes or until you see most of the skins splitting. Remove from heat and let cool. The skins of most of the hazelnuts should rub off easily. Crack or smash the hazelnuts. To make the dressing, combine the vinegar or juice in a medium bowl with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour a slow and steady drizzle of oil into the bowl while whisking constantly until you reach the desired consistency. (I really dislike overly oily dressings, so I keep it closer to a 1:1 ratio, but you need to taste it). Assemble the salad ingredients on a platter with the dressing on the side or combine the beets, oranges, and greens in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Top with goat cheese and hazelnuts. Serves 4-6.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Beautiful! Hope you get well, soon!
December 21st, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Home with a case of the somethings myself . . . I do LOVE Kaweah’s gift for picking winners and always agree with her choices, even if it’s not me!
December 21st, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Wonderful salad. Take good care of yourself.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Yum yum!! Love blood oranges. All year I dream about when they’ll be in season.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Perfect antidote to the heavy holiday fare. Feel better soon!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Watch out for the hazelnut recall! http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/21/whole-foods-hazelnut-recall/
I love that the blood orange peels kinda look like bacon.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I think I was drooling looking at those platters. I hope you’re feeling better very very soon!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Very pretty salad. I love hazelnuts, I can see this in my near future. Today was persimmon, goat cheese salad, maybe tomorrow will be hazelnut, goat cheese and beet!
I’m sad I didnt win, but I think we all win as we get a really cute peek at kaweah choosing the winner, and the totally geekiness of Jeremy!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Looks scrumptious! I will need to restrain myself from appropriating the goat cheese in my frige that’s waiting for me to make your oven-roasted pepper tart w (out) Prosciutto & w/ goat cheese to take to a friend’s party Wed. Hope you’re 100% very soon.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Ahah! I am including that $25 Chef gift card into a goodie basket to Bill’s niece. Everytime I tried to use it, I could not find something I really needed or wanted (well without adding a lot more to it!).
That salad is the kind I would eat over and over again until the bowl would be empty…Love the combo!
Hope you get better 100% and 100% real fast :)
P.S: your Christmas present got a tad delayed bec. of work (cafe and photos) but I’d rather you get it when you get all your appetite back anyway :)
December 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
That’s so appealing. And just the thing to save me from the holiday blahs. But now I’m reading Kristin and making a goat cheese tart sounds good, too. Maybe a tart and then the salad w/out the cheese? On the side? Mmm….Must go shop.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Love the colors in the salad. They’re a lot easier and exciting to eat when they’re beautiful, right?
December 21st, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Feel better, honey. Wish I was close enough to bring some faux pho by. As always, recipe looks amazing.
December 21st, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Great looking salad! Hope you are feeling better soon, congrats to the winners!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I’m glad you’re feeling better! Your salad picked me up, too :). I made a beet salad for dinner tonight as well, using ricotta and honey. What a great idea to top it with hazelnuts.
December 21st, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I do hope you are feeling much better. It’s really no fund being holed up for the holidays that’s for sure. I love what you have done to this salad and the colors are fantastic. I think even if I hated veggies (which I don’t), I’d probably give this a try! Take care!
December 21st, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Congrats to the winners! I’m jealous. :)
December 21st, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Hope each passing hour has you feeling much better, Jenzie.
Congratulations to Wend and Paula, too. Oh, and a special hug to the lovely Miss K.
Happiest of holidays to you and yours.
December 21st, 2009 at 10:51 pm
That is a BEAUTIFUL salad (and that dog is unbelievably adorable, as always!)
Hope you feel better!
December 21st, 2009 at 11:18 pm
I hope you’re feeling better!
I do wish I had read this an hour ago before I went to the grocery store…that salad looks perfect for my Christmas Eve dinner! It’s beautiful!
December 22nd, 2009 at 5:28 am
My My……you make all food look so wonderfully delicious. I love the plate of ingredients, and then the mixture! Thanks for sharing. Hope you are feeling better. Now I get to figure out where to eat in Omaha. I don’t think anywhere compares to your salad.
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:31 am
Get better soon!
Ah, beets! The food of the gods, my my opinion. Gorgeous salad and I love your presentation. Perfect for my house where some ingredients might be frowned upon by smaller members whose palates are not mature yet.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:13 am
Mmmm… I love hazelnuts! I hope you feel better soon!
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:15 am
Hope you are feeling better soon. That salad looks fantastic, I’ve only seen red beetroot here recently but those colours look fantastic, I’d still probably taste good with a dark beetroot just not as pretty.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
Oh, what a good idea for golden beets. Our farmer’s market had some this summer and I was at a loss on how to use them. I ended up using them in a green bean and beet salad with a balsamic dressing but it wasn’t something I’d make again. I’ll have to try yours next!
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:25 am
Glad to hear you are on the mend. Selfishly happy you are able to blog, too!
The salad recipe is wonderful, thank you. My Christmas dinner table will include my 94 year old grandmother. I am aware we may not have a surplus of Christmas holidays to spend together, and am looking forward to making this meal memorable. Your salad is a perfect addition to the menu.
I hope you are recovered entirely by Dec. 24 to enjoy your family festivities, and wish you the best in the New year. Blessings and Peace!
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
hi – hope you feel better soon!
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Hard to believe you cook so well when you’re sick! But I’m glad you’re on the mend.
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Hello. I came across your blog searching for candied orange and lemon peel recipe. Your blog is wonderful. I mentioned your blog and linked your blog to my blog post since I thought your blog is wonderful. I hope it is OK. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
This would look absolutely stunning on any holiday table (and I’m sure it’s pretty tasty too!). Feel better soon!
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:16 pm
A delicious combination of flavors. So good for you!
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I love the way you do your salads Jen! I hope you get well soon! Have lots of rest to speed up the recovery! xxoo
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Hope you feel better in time for the holidays. Give yourself the ‘easy’ button this year, and only do what is necessary! The salad looks divine.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I hope you feel better and better! This look heavenly – I definitely want some =D.
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:36 pm
purrrrfect salad, so colorful. hope you feel better soon!
December 24th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Love me some beet salad – this looks delicious. And since I have about a million satsumas in my fridge (slim pickings this time of year in my organic produce box…) it’s looking like I’ll have to do red beets and orange oranges :) Merry Christmas Eve!
December 24th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
i love love love your photography. and kaweah is such a beautiful dog!
December 24th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I love the way you pick winners for giveaways. :)
Merry Christmas! Hope you’re feeling 100% soon.
December 25th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Beautiful salad. I was just stopping by to say thank you for your Brussels sprouts recipe from a while back. I made them last night and they were so delicious. Avowed B-sprouts haters were clamoring for the recipe.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I love your photos. Such a beautiful salad with all of the bright colors. Hope that you are on the mend.
January 4th, 2010 at 11:01 am
I love juicy blood oranges in a salad. This looks delicious! Great photos.
January 11th, 2010 at 4:36 am
Supercute idea to let Kaweah choose the winners. I’m sure she doesn’t mind at all! Win-win. :-) Salad looks super too.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Thank you EVERYONE for your very kind comments. It took a long time, but we are finally well (and now I can finally reply to the questions!) xoxo
Liz – thanks! Luckily, my hazelnuts were purchased elsewhere.
Jennywenny – I love persimmons, but never thought to put them in a salad. Sounds wonderful! And yes, Jeremy is TRULY a geek :)
Kristin – oh, that tart is THE BEST. I love love love it. I hope you liked it!
Tartelette – hon, you don’t need to send me anything for the holidays! But… that said, anything from you is going to be beyond amazing, I am positive. xoxo
Cathy – 94 years old?! That’s AWESOME. I hope you had a really special Christmas together :) Grandmas hold a very special place in my heart.
Mausi – awww, thank you. It’s perfectly fine to mention and link back. Cheers.
Phoo-D – ahhhh! The easy button, I need to get me some of those ;) xoxo
Leek – Brussels sprouts are faboo, aren’t they? I love that recipe too. It’s converted MANY B-sprout haters ;)
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