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Roasted Baby Beet Salad with Candied Kumquats
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Roasted Baby Beet Salad with Candied Kumquats and Pistachio Citrus Vinaigrette

There are many steps to this recipe, but most can be done ahead of time so the assembly is simple. Try it, you'll be glad you did!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beet Salad, Candied Kumquats, Roasted Baby Beet Salad with Candied Kumquats, Roasted Beets
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 448kcal
Author: Anna

Ingredients

Salad

  • 8 ounces baby arugula or assorted baby greens
  • 48 candied kumquat slices, 6 per salad, use more or less to your taste
  • 2 pounds roasted baby beets, all red or assorted colors, your choice!
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 recipe Pistachio Citrus Vinaigrette

Candied Kumquats

  • 1 pint fresh kumquats, about 2 cups
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup water

Roasted Baby Beets

  • 3 pounds baby beets with greens attached or 2 pounds without greens
  • 1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, see note below

Pistachio Citrus Vinaigrette

  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • ¼ cup roasted, salted pistachios, I buy the ones already shelled
  • 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon honey or syrup from the candied kumquats
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Candied Kumquats

  • Slice ends off kumquats and discard. Then slice each fruit into 4 slices each, removing seeds as you go.
  • Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan large enough to also accommodate the kumquats.
  • When the water is boiling and the sugar is dissolved add the kumquats.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes, gently stir occasionally.
  • Drain the kumquats over a bowl and return the syrup to the saucepan.
  • Bring the syrup to a boil once again and cook until reduced by about half.
  • Put the fruit slices into a bowl or jar and pour the syrup over. Cool, then cover and refrigerate.

Roasted Baby Beets Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  • If the beets still have their tops, cut the tops off about ½" above the beet. (You can cook the greens and serve separately.)
  • Wash the beets and pat dry.
  • Lay them in a roasting pan and drizzle 1 Tablespoon of the oil over them. Toss to completely coat. If more oil is needed, add up to another Tablespoon.
  • Cover the pan with aluminum foil and seal tightly. 
  • Cook for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes until beets are tender when pierced with a fork. 
  • When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins 
  • Slice beets into thin slices.

Pistachio Citrus Vinaigrette Instructions

  • In the bowl of a small food processor pulse the garlic until minced. Or mince by hand.
  • Add the pistachios to the food processor and pulse until finely ground. Or finely chop by hand along with the garlic.
  • To the bowl of the mini processor add the vinegar, orange juice, oil, honey and pepper. Process until well combined. Alternatively, put the minced garlic and nuts into a jar, add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously until combined.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made up to 4 days ahead. I like to bring this to room temperature before serving as I think the flavors come through better when not so cold.

Assembling the Salad

  • Arrange the beet slices in a flat circle around the edge of your salad plates.
  • Toss the arugula with 2 Tablespoons of the dressing. Add more dressing in 1 Tablespoon increments if necessary. Then add the crumbled feta and toss lightly.
  • Pile some of the arugula mixture on each plate on top of the beet slices.
  • Add the kumquat slices to the top of each salad.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Gr8 Do-Ahead Tips:
  • The kumquats can be candied up to 4 days ahead of time and refrigerated.
  • The vinaigrette can be made 4 days ahead of time and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using. This allows the flavors to come through.
  • And the beets can be made the day before serving.
 
This nutritional information is only an estimate. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 992IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 3mg
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