Beet and Feta Salad with Honey-Oregano Vinaigrette
This month Paola invites her colleague, Ellen Brinks, to share her beet recipe. “Beet and Feta Salad works well as a side dish, but easily serves as a main-dish summer salad when accompanied by some crusty bread and a glass of wine. Whenever I make it, friends beg for the recipe – even those who thought they didn’t like beets! It looks beautiful served on a large, open platter.”
Ingredients for four people:
- 4 large beets
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 2 teaspoons dried1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small red onion, diced small
- Fresh salad greens, enough to make a nice bed on a large platter
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (cow’s milk feta is milder than sheep’s milk)
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the tops off the beets, leaving 2 inches of the stems. Wrap beets in foil. Roast until tender, about 1 hour. Cool, peel and slice the beets.
While beets are roasting, you can roast the walnuts and make up the salad dressing. I put the walnuts in a toaster oven, at around 250 degrees for about 10-15 minutes (if you do it in too hot an oven, the walnuts can burn). To prepare the dressing, blend oil, honey, vinegar, garlic, oregano and mustard in blender until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Wash and dry salad greens, and keep them fresh in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the salad. Arrange the greens on a serving platter. Top with sliced beets, feta, walnuts and red onion. Spoon dressing over.
Enjoy!
Ellen