Mexican Chopped Salad with Beets and Walnut Dressing

• Recipe by Dionicio Jimenez

Chef Way Dionicio Jimenez roasts the beets and fries the tortillas for the salad.

Easy Way Seek out vacuum-sealed beets, which are preroasted and peeled, and use store-bought chips.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 pound walnut halves (2 cups)
2. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 3/4 pound peeled roasted beets, cut into 1/3-inch cubes (See Note)
6. 1 Fuji apple, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
7. 1 Hass avocado, cubed
8. 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
9. 1/4 pound Manchego cheese, thinly shaved (1 cup)
10. 5 ounces mesclun greens
11. 2 cups tortilla chips, lightly crushed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Let cool completely.
2. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the walnuts to a food processor. Add the oil and lime juice and pulse until the walnuts are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the beets, apple, avocado, fennel and Manchego and toss. Add the mesclun and tortilla chips, season with salt and pepper and toss again. Transfer the salad to plates, garnish with the remaining walnuts and serve right away.

Notes

Vacuum-sealed roasted beets are available in specialty shops.