Roasted Beet and Winter Squash Salad With Walnuts
- 2 pounds kabocha or butternut squash
- 1 bunch beets, with greens
- 2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or put through a press
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons walnut oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (about 1 1/2 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, mint, tarragon, chives
- Roast the beets.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut the greens off of the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stems attached.
- Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or ovenproof casserole.
- Add about 1/4 inch water to the dish.
- Cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the beets are tender.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- If not using right away, refrigerate in a covered bowl
- Line another roasting pan with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil.
- Peel the squash and cut in 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Toss with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and salt to taste and place on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and tender.
- You can do this at the same time that you roast the beets, but watch carefully if you need to put the baking sheet on a lower shelf.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens.
- Add salt to the water, and blanch the greens for 1 minute or until tender.
- Transfer the greens to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out the water.
- Chop coarsely
- Mix together the vinegars, garlic, salt, pepper, the remaining olive oil and the walnut oil.
- When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the ends off, slip off their skins, cut in half, then slice into half-moon shapes.
- Toss with half the salad dressing.
- In a separate bowl, toss the roasted squash with the remaining dressing
- Place the greens on a platter, leaving a space in the middle.
- Arrange the beets and squash in alternating rows in the middle of the platter.
- Sprinkle on the fresh herbs and the walnuts.
- If desired, sprinkle on crumbled feta.
- Serve
butternut squash, beets, red wine, balsamic vinegar, salt, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, walnuts, fresh herbs
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12900 (may not work)