Bold flavors for budding chefs: Beet and orange salad

The cooking scenes in Ratatouille, whether it’s Remy cooking a mushroom and cheese with lightning or fixing Linguini’s soup, all focus on combining disparate flavors to create exciting new tastes. The unexpected interplay of ingredients is what takes any dish from good to outstanding, and that’s why our take on the classic French beet and orange salad is such a hit in our house.
The salad starts with a base of sweet roasted beets which are offset just a touch by the acidity of fresh oranges. Mustard adds a little piquancy to the mix, but the chevre cools it down. Finally, a bit of dill gives the entire dish a hint of herbaceousness. This salad focuses on layering simple, healthy ingredients, but the way the varied flavors come together make it seriously satisfying.

Beet and Orange Salad

serves 4 as a side

3 large beets
water
3 medium oranges, plus a half orange for juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon chevre, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Trim the beet greens and wash beets well. Place in a small, deep casserole dish or cake pan and fill with water to a 1/8 inch depth. Cover the dish tightly with foil, and slide into the oven. Bake for 45 55 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the beets.

Remove from dish and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cut the top and bottom off of the oranges, and then, cutting downwards, cut off the peel and pith. Slice oranges into thick round slices and reserve any juice.

When beets are cool enough to handle, trim the top and bottom and peel the skin under cold running water. Slice beets 1/2 inch thick.

To make the dressing, pour the olive oil into a small bowl or glass. Whisk in the fresh squeezed orange juice, mustard, and salt.

On a large platter, layer the oranges and beets, sprinkle with fresh dill and chevre, and drizzle with dressing. Let the salad marinate for 20 minutes, garnish, and serve.

Source: Babble.com