By Executive Chef Jeffrey Gardner,
Common Quarter
YIELD: 4 servings
Ingredients for roasted beets
- 2 large red beets, washed and peeled
- 2 large golden beets, washed and peeled
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup honey
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 4 Tbsp. black peppercorns
- 4 Tbsp. kosher Salt
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- Water, as needed
Ingredients for goat cheese mousse
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
- 1/4 cup cream cheese or mascarpone
- 1/2 cup milk
Ingredients for vinaigrette:
- 2 oranges, juice and zest
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs thyme, stripped and chopped
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Remaining ingredients:
- 1 baby candy striped beet, washed and thinly shaved
- 1/2 bulb fennel, thinly shaved
- 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- 1 cup arugula, washed
In a medium saucepan, add red beets, red wine vinegar and half of the honey, garlic, thyme, pepper, salt and olive oil. Cover beets completely with water, and cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil. Simmer over medium heat until beets are fork tender. Allow to cool in the cooking liquid, then dice into bite-sized pieces. In a separate saucepan, add golden beets, apple cider vinegar and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook the same way as the red beets, until tender. Dice the golden beets into bite-sized pieces. For goat cheese mousse, combine all ingredients in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer until completely smooth and spreadable. In a blender (you can also do this in a bowl by hand), combine all ingredients for vinaigrette except for olive oil. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until mixture is emulsified. To assemble, place a smear of the goat cheese mousse down the center of your plate, in a straight line. In a small mixing bowl, combine gold beets, fennel, arugula and about two tablespoons of vinaigrette. Toss until all are lightly coated, and lightly season with kosher salt. Place all ingredients onto the goat cheese mousse. In the same bowl, toss the red beets with another two tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Gently place throughout the salad, so as to not allow colors to bleed together. Top each salad with chopped pecans and a few slices of candy-striped beet.
