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Beet Salad with Candied Marcona Almonds

Steve Corry loves to toss roasted beets with the complex sherry vinegar that Taylor Griffin imports from Spain. To help mellow the vinegar’s tang, Corry reduces tangerine juice to a syrup and adds it to the dressing. Inspired by peanut brittle, he candies marcona almonds to give the salad crunch. The nuts are fantastic on their own.

  • ACTIVE: 45 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 15 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 8
  • Fast
  • Healthy
  • Vegetarian
  • Staff Favorite
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Recipe

Ingredients

  1. 2 1/2 pounds medium red or golden beets, scrubbed and trimmed
  2. 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  3. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  4. 2 tablespoons sugar
  5. 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  6. Salt
  7. Pinch of cayenne pepper
  8. 1 cup marcona almonds
  9. 1/2 cup fresh tangerine juice
  10. 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  11. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  12. 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  13. 1 small head of frisée (4 ounces), torn into bite-size pieces
  14. Young pecorino cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large baking dish, toss the beets with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut them into 1/2-inch wedges.
  2. Meanwhile, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 tablespoon of butter with the sugar, corn syrup and a pinch each of salt and cayenne and bring to a boil, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Add the almonds and stir until evenly coated with the syrup. Scrape the almonds onto the parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer. Bake with the beets for about 12 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let the nuts cool for about 25 minutes, then break into small clusters.
  3. In a small saucepan, simmer the tangerine juice over moderate heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in the vinegar, mustard and shallots. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil and season the dressing with salt. Add the beets and frisée and toss.
  4. Transfer the salad to a platter or bowl. Garnish with the candied almonds, shave the pecorino on top and serve.

Make Ahead

    The peeled, roasted beets can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. The candied almonds can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Reviews

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User Reviews

(Average Rating)

This recipe is fabulous. I'm heading to Portland soon to go to this restaurant and shop at the store mentioned in the article. I used "O" brand sherry vinegar and arugula instead of frisee. The brittle is addictive! I have some leftover and keep picking at it! Great combination of flavors!

Posted by: JLOWRY01 on March 27, 2008

rating

I didn't make the almond brittle or use frisée. However, the roasted beets tossed in the vinagrette with pecorino shaved on top was a great combo. Sliced beet greens can be simmered in the juice to add some green to the mix.

Posted by: SHARPWHIT on February 15, 2008

rating
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