Beet salad with honey-lavender dressing is a delightful and vibrant dish that combines the earthy sweetness of beets with the floral notes of honey and lavender.
6medium beets (2 ΒΌ pounds total)(preferably a mix of yellow and red)
extra-virgin olive oil(for drizzling)
Coarse salt
Dressing
1Tbspextra-virgin olive oil
2medium shallots(thinly sliced, about 1 cup)
1/3cuphoney
1/2tspfresh lavender leaves
1large egg yolk
2Tbspchampagne vinegar
1tspDijon mustard
1cupsafflower oil
Salad
2bunchesbaby chard (or 1 bunch swiss chard, about 1 lb)(stems removed, leaves torn into 1-inch pieces)
1/2cuppecans(toasted and salted)
8ozfresh goat cheese(crumbled)
2baby Chioggia beets(scrubbed and thinly sliced)
Instructions
Beets: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle medium beets with olive oil in a baking pan; season with salt. Place in a single layer and add 1 cup water. Cover with parchment, then foil, and roast until knife-tender, about 1 1/2 hours. When cool enough to handle, rub off peels with paper towels (use a paring knife for tough spots); discard. Cut beets into bite-size pieces.
Dressing: Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium saute pan over low. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add honey and lavender; simmer until lavender is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Puree with yolk, vinegar, and mustard in a blender or food processor until smooth. With machine running, slowly add safflower oil until combined. (If dressing is too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time.)
Salad: Combine roasted beets, chard, and pecans in a bowl. Lightly toss with 1/4 cup dressing. Place 1 tablespoon dressing on bottom of each plate, then add salad mixture and goat cheese, dividing evenly. Top with baby beets and serve, with remaining dressing on the side.