Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Pickled Fennel and Bee Pollen
Ingredients
- FOR THE PICKLED FENNEL:
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, cut in half lengthwise then thinly sliced on a mandolin, fronds reserved for garnish
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 bay leaves
- FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tbsp. orange blossom honey
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- FOR THE SALAD:
- 4-5 medium red beets, tops removed and reserved and beets scrubbed clean
- 4-5 medium golden beets, tops removed and reserved and beets scrubbed clean
- 5-ounces organic spring mix
- 6-ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled into large chunks BY HAND
- 2-3 tbsp. bee pollen for sprinkling
Directions
Begin by making the pickled fennel. Place the thinly shaved fennel in a medium bowl. In a small sauce pot combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and bay leaves. Bring up to a simmer and cook until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
Remove from heat and let cool before pouring over the shaved fennel. Pour, toss and place in the fridge to pickle for at least 30 minutes, up to 5 days.
For the dressing combine everything in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside until needed. Will keep for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Place the red beets in a large foil package and wrap up. Place on a sheet tray incase they leak. Do the same thing to the golden beets and rainbow beets, all in separate foil packages.
Roast the beets for 65-75 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly and then peel away the skin using a clean paper towel. Quarter the beets, keeping the colors separate so they don’t bleed into one another.
Roughly chop, wash and dry the beet greens. Set aside.
To assemble, place some of the mixed green into a large shallow bowl along with some of the cleaned and chopped beet greens. Top with some the pickled fennel, red, gold and rainbow beets and chunks of goat cheese. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with fennel fronds and bee pollen.
Recipe Courtesy of Megan Mitchell