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Watercress Salad with Baby Beets

1hr 39min prep: 8min cook: 1hr 31min

They say we eat with our eyes first, so this salad must be delicious because it’s absolutely beautiful. But it tastes good too, of course!Notes:

  1. Baby beets are about 1-2 inches in diameter.

    If you can’t find watercress, frisee is also a nice complement to the beets.

    Wear plastic gloves while working with beets to prevent hands from staining.

Ingredients

Produce

  • Baby Beets, Any Color — 10
  • Fresh Chives — 1 Tablespoon
  • Watercress — 4 Cups

Cheese & Lunchmeat

  • Blue Cheese, Crumbled — 1⁄3 Cup

Dry Goods & Packaged Goods

  • Walnuts, Raw And Crumbled — 1⁄4 Cup

Spice & Baking

  • Black Pepper
  • Kosher Salt

Condiments, Oils & Dressings

  • Champagne Vinegar — 1⁄4 Cup
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil — 1⁄4 Cup

Equipment

Kitchen Supplies

  • Aluminum Foil
  • Paper Towels
  • Plastic Gloves

Appliances

  • Oven
  • Stove Top

Cooking Equipment

  • Baking Dish
  • Chef’s Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Mixing Bowl, Large
  • Mixing Bowl, Medium — 2
  • Saute Pan, Small
  • Whisk

Prep Steps

  1. Finely chop chives to measure the indicated amount. Place in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Add champagne vinegar to the chives.
  3. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the vinegar and chive mixture, while whisking continuously, to create a champagne vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. If you purchased whole walnuts, roughly chop them to measure the indicated amount.
  5. If you purchased beets with the greens attached, cut the stems off just above the root of the beet and discard.
  6. Wash beets under cold water to remove any dirt. Pat dry with paper towels. Place in a baking dish.

Cook Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Drizzle the beets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Use clean hands to coat evenly. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
  3. Place beets in the oven and roast for [30-40 minutes] until they are tender and pierce easily with a fork.
  4. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat.
  5. Once pan is warm, add the chopped walnuts and toast until fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Keep a close watch and shake pan often to prevent burning. Transfer to a clean bowl or platter.
  6. After you remove the beets from the oven, transfer to a clean platter and let cool for about [10 minutes] so they are easy to handle.
  7. Place the watercress in a large mixing bowl.
  8. Whisk the champagne vinaigrette again so it’s well combined. Drizzle over the watercress, and season with salt and pepper. Add the walnuts and crumbled blue cheese. Toss to combine.
  9. Once beets are easy to handle but still slightly warm, use hands to peel off the skin. Start at the root end and push away the skin. Wear gloves to prevent staining your hands. Skin will peel easily if beets were cooked long enough and still slightly warm.
  10. After you’ve peeled the beets, cut off both ends, then cut the beets in half or in quarters, depending on their size. You can also keep some of the smaller beets whole, which makes for a pretty presentation.
  11. Place beets in a medium mixing bowl, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
  12. Place a few beet segments around the center of each salad plate. Top with the watercress mixture, being sure to include all ingredients on each plate. Place the beet pieces wide enough that they can be seen from under the greens. Finish with a few extra beet pieces on top.
  13. Top with extra blue cheese, walnuts or vinaigrette if desired. Salads are ready to serve!