Roasted Golden Beet & Goat Cheese Napoleons with Citrus Vinaigrette
— Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Luisa’s Catering
Golden beets, roasted until tender, then sliced and layered with fresh goat cheese & chive filling — this stunning salad looks so elegant, guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen! But the beets, filling, candied nuts, and vinaigrette can all be made ahead of time, making it an ideal first course for a dinner party. It also makes a great lunch dish, served with crusty bread. You can use any color combination of beets (all gold, all red, or alternating colors!) as well as different nuts, such as candied walnuts or plain, toasted hazelnuts.
*Items marked in green are available from The Gourmet Corner.
Suggested wine pairing: Les Lys Vouvray 2008
Roasted Beets & Salad
- 2 extra-large golden beets
- 6 cups assorted organic baby lettuces, washed, dried and torn by hand
Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place each beet on a piece of foil and wrap tightly. Roast on a sheet pan (juice escapes sometimes) for about 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. Using your fingers or a small, sharp knife, peel off the beet skin and trim the ends.
Chef’s Tip: Beets can vary widely in cooking time. Large fresh beets can take up to 1 1/2 hours. To test, pierce with a small, sharp knife — the beet should feel soft and tender all the way through.
Citrus Vinaigrette
Combine all the ingredients in a jar or a tight-sealing plastic container. Shake to blend.
Candied Pecans
Line a cookie tray with parchment paper. Toast nuts in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until oils are released. Sprinkle in sugar and stir until sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Pour nuts onto parchment-lined tray, spreading them to cool (be careful, the melted sugar is extremely hot!)
Goat Cheese Filling
Place the goat cheese in a small bowl. Using the back of spoon or a rubber spatula, cream the cheese, adding cream as needed, until soft and the chives are fully incorporated. (The beets and cheese filling can be made a day ahead of time; cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.)
Plating
To assemble the napoleons, place one of the beet rounds on a firm, flat surface and begin to layer. Spread with an even layer of goat cheese, then another beet round, another layer of cheese, another beet round, a third layer of cheese, and a beet round. (Continue until you have four layers of beets and four layers of cheese.)
Carefully cut through layers, dividing into four wedges. Repeat with the remaining beets and cheese.
To serve, arrange the wedges, pointed ends facing out, in a circle in the center of each plate. Toss the baby lettuces with a little of the citrus vinaigrette and mound on each end of plate. Drizzle more of the citrus over the beet stacks. Sprinkle with candied nuts and orange zest from the vinagrette on top. Sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.
Tags: beets, chevre, goat cheese, nuts