La Cocotte Verte

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.

Panko, or Japanese bread crumbs, are much coarser than ordinary bread crumbs and create a deliciously crunchy crust — a startling contrast to the hot, creamy cheese. The black lava sea salt adds a nice smokiness and balances out the acid and sweetness of the tomatoes.