Recipe & Pic from It’s A Veg World After All
Salads aren't just for Summer- a luscious pile of warm caramelized root veggies is the perfect side for a cold and rainy fall day! Try tossing some of your carrots onto the roasting pan along with the fennel and garnish with chopped parsley and fennel fronds.
5 small beets - or 3 large
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil - divided
1 bulb fennel - stalks and fronds removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup shelled pistachios - dry roasted and salted
For the dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice - preferably freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Salt - to taste
Black pepper - to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim and scrub the beets. Rub each one with a tiny bit of olive oil all over the skin, then wrap each one in aluminum foil. Place the foil packets on the center rack of the oven. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Small beets take less time than large beets to roast. When the beets are finished roasting, remove them from the foil packet and rub your hands over each one to remove the skin (it should glide off without too much effort). If they are too hot to touch, run them under cold water while you take off the skin.
Prepare the fennel for roasting. Cut the bulb into lengthwise quarters and then slices. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until coated. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes (at the same temperature as the beets) until tender and slightly charred.
Slice the roasted beets into thin discs or another shape of your choice. Combine the beet slices and roasted fennel slices in a mixing bowl. Add the chopped herbs and pistachios.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange and lemon juices, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and mix well. If you have some fennel fronds from the bulb you used, add them as garnish.