Warm Up to Winter Salads
Vegetarian winter salads offer up a nice balance to the season's warm-your-bones fare.
I love to roast beets this way; it deepens the flavor and contains the mess. I always do more than the recipe calls for so I have extra. Save the beet and carrot greens for stir-fries, smoothies and other recipes.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 – 6 Serving(s)
- 2 medium beets
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 cup tangerine juice
- 2 medium carrots
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons minced tarragon
- Salt and pepper
- 1 bunch kale, thick ribs removed, thinly sliced and measured out to make 3 cups kale shreds
- ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Place cleaned beets in a small ovenproof dish, and add bay leaf, thyme and a tablespoon of water. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Roast about 45 to 60 minutes, or until the beets are easily pierced by a knife. Place tangerine juice in a small saucepan and reduce to ¼ cup. Cool.
Peel and julienne cooled beets. Peel and finely julienne carrots (this can be done by hand or with a mandoline or serrated peeler.)
Whisk together yogurt, honey, tarragon, salt, pepper and reduced tangerine juice. Gently massage half the dressing into the kale shreds with your fingers. To massage, firmly rub the kale between your fingers until the kale softens and wilts, about 2 to 3 minutes. Let kale rest 30 minutes.
Toss remaining dressing with kale, beets, carrots and scallions and serve.
Related Stories & Recipes
Roasted Vegetable Panzanella
Panzanella takes on a wintery twist with the addition of roasted vegetables in this vegetarian salad, which can also be made with pancetta.
