Blood Orange, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Blood Orange, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 6

(adapted from Melissa’s “Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce” )

• 6 blood oranges
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. honey, agave syrup or Lyle’s Golden Syrup
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• pinch ground white pepper
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 golden beets
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup micro greens (optional)
• 3 oz. goat cheese

Directions:

1. Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut stems and leaves off beets, rinse and dry beets.
2. Wrap beets loosely in aluminum foil and place on a sheet pan. Roast in oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until beets are tender and can be pierced with a knife. Cool.
3. Peel beets and  slice into 1/3 inch slices. set aside.
4. Using a microplane, grate the zest from one of the blood oranges into a small bowl. Add the sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and honey. Whisk. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside. If not making the salad ahead, add the sliced onions to the vinaigrette.
5. Cut the top and bottom off the oranges. Standing the orange up (with one cut side down) use a small paring knife to cut the peel off, following the curve of the orange and trying not to cut too much of the flesh off.  Use the paring knife to remove any additional skin. Repeat with the remaining oranges. Slice the oranges into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside.
6. To assemble the salad, place a layer of beet slices onto a serving platter (or on an individual salad plate if making individual servings). Top with a layer of orange slices. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle the onion slices on if making salad ahead of time.  Sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds.  Just before serving, garnish with micro greens and crumbled goat cheese.