Newly Harvested Beets from the Market

Farm fresh Beets, Spinach and Bacon are all available now at the Franklin Farmers Market along with many of the other local ingredients.  Using recently picked farm fresh vegetables and cheeses from the farmers market adds a wonderful fresh flavor!  Here is what you need for a farm fresh holiday salad.

Plan a little extra time to roast the beets in the oven. You could roast them a day in advance, then dice and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the salad. Pecans or walnuts are also great in this salad, and add extra texture.

Roasting Beets: 1 hour

Yield: Serves 4 to 6:

Perfect for a Holiday Salad

• 1 pound beets, trimmed, roasted, peeled, and diced.
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves.
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion.
• 2 to 3 thick slices bacon, cooked, diced.
• goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled, optional.
• walnut or pecan halves, optional.

Dressing:

• 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or a similar gourmet mustard.
• 4 tablespoons honey.
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar.
• 2/3 cup olive oil.

Preparation: To roast beets: Wash whole beets; trim off leaves, stems, and roots. Sprinkle with a little vegetable oil, salt, and pepper; wrap in foil and bake at 375° for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. The time varies depending on the size of the beets.

Salad:
Arrange spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Top with diced beets, diced bacon, red onion, and cheese and/or nuts, if using. In a bowl or blender, combine the garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Whisk or blend in the olive oil in a steady stream. Drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve on the side.

We hope you enjoy this farm fresh recipe for the holidays!