There is nothing quite like a sweet and savory salad to refresh your senses. Rather than tucking into a hot meal, eating salads is a great way of cooling your body to savor on a summer afternoon picnic or concert in the park. This beet salad with goat cheese, which pairs so well with the earthy and smoky roots, can be made in advance and offered straight from your cooler.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby beets, washed and scrubbed well
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 pint fresh raspberries, divided
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons toasted walnut oil
- 4 ounces goat cheese
Preparation
For the beets:
Toss beets lightly with olive oil and salt; wrap in aluminum foil. You can roast or grill the beets. If grilling, use medium heat, close the cover and cook for about 25 minutes, until tender and slightly charred. Or roast beets in oven at 350°F for about 30–40 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the size of your beets.
For the glaze:
While beets are cooking, stir together raspberry jam, vinegar and salt in a small saucepan. Add in ½ the pint of fresh berries, stir and warm through for about 3 minutes, breaking up the raspberries into the glaze. Stir in fresh thyme and set aside.
Once beets are cooked, toss with the raspberry-thyme glaze, some walnut oil and the tangy goat cheese. Scatter the remaining ½ pint of fresh berries on top.
