Salad of Roasted Beets and Arugula with Blue Cheese Dressing
INGREDIENTS
3 bunches baby beets, washed, trimmed, and halved
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 handful fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 bunches arugula, washed, dried, and hand-torn
Celery leaves from 1 bunch celery, about 1/2 cup
1 cup walnut halves and pieces, toasted
½ pound blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 lemon, juiced
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lay the beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with the
oil, toss the thyme on top, and season with salt and pepper. Fold up
the foil tightly to make a sealed pouch and put it on a sheet pan. Bake
until the beets are tender when pierced, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
(Drop a knife in the center of 1 beet; if it slides out without
resistance, they're done.) Let the beets cool to room temperature and
put them in a large mixing bowl. Add the arugula, celery leaves, and
walnuts; toss to combine.
3. To make the blue cheese dressing: Put the blue cheese and sour cream
in a bowl, mashing with a fork to combine. Add the chives, lemon juice,
and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper; mix to incorporate,
leaving a few chunks of cheese in the dressing. Thin out the dressing
with a tablespoon of water, if you wish, to smooth out the consistency.
Pour the blue cheese dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat;
season with salt and pepper. Put the salad on a chilled platter and
serve.
Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence and Food Network
