Blueberry + Beet Salad
A new seasonal favorite in our household. This recipe combines roasted and pickled beets with wild blueberries, goat cheese, and arugula. It pairs well with grilled chicken or fish. If you’re picking wild blueberries, consider making a homemade blueberry compote (see below). The compote is the base for this vinaigrette and can be used over homemade pancakes, waffles, or as the base for a sweet & savory marinade. We use honey as our sweetener of choice.
Makes 1 large salad (serves 4)
4 medium beets, washed
1 jar of pickled beets or make your own
6-8 cups of fresh arugula
2-4 oz of goat cheese
1-2 garlic scapes minced (could substitute with chives)
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (wild blueberries, if available)
Edible flowers like borage (optional)
Fresh dill for garnish (could substitute with dill weed)
Dressing
1/4 cup blueberry jam or blueberry compote
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary (optional)
Cut off the stem end of the washed beets. Wrap each beet in a small piece of tin foil. Bake at 375F for 45 mins or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.
To make the dressing, place all ingredients except for olive oil into high speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 mins until smooth. Turn speed down to lowest setting and slowly pour in olive oil to create emulsion. Taste and add more salt/pepper as needed.
Assemble salad by making a bed of arugula on large serving platter. Layer sliced roasted beets and pickled beets. Add dollops of goat cheese. Drizzle dressing over salad. Garnish with wild blueberries, garlic scapes, fresh dill, and edible flowers.
Leftover dressing will keep in a closed container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.