Roasted and Marinated Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Crostini and Candied Pecans

by Chef Rob Feenie

Beets:
3 large red beets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
2 cups apple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Goat cheese crostini:
4 slices crusty bread
1 cup goat cheese

Candied pecans:
1 cup pecans
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

Watercress salad:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 bunches watercress
1 Chinese apple pear, julienned

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Rub beets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap in foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until beets are easily pierced with a fork. Peel beets while they’re still warm, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices and place in a large bowl.

Place apple juice, cider vinegar and brown sugar in a pot over medium heat and bring to boil until sugar has dissolved. Pour warm mixture over beets, let cool and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Preheat broiler to high.

Place bread slices on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Brown on both sides. Divide goat cheese equally among bread slices and place back under
the broiler for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

Turn oven temperature to 350° F.

Combine pecans, sugar, water and chili flakes in a stainless steel bowl. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve sugar. Remove pecans from syrup with a slotted spoon, place on a baking sheet and bake for
10 to 15 minutes, stirring once, or until pecans are toasted. Let cool on baking sheet.

Whisk together olive oil and sherry vinegar in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add watercress and pear and gently toss.

Remove beets from marinade and place them in a circle on a large plate. Place watercress salad on top, sprinkle with pecans and serve with goat cheese crostinis on the side.

Wine pairing by Beppi Crosariol:

This dish possesses great balance in both texture and flavour. Salads can be a wine-pairing challenge because of the vinegar, but this one leaves a flank open for zesty sauvignon blanc. Consider a New World sauvignon blanc from South Africa or Canada, or a fumé blanc (a slightly oak-aged sauvignon blanc) from California. If you prefer red, try a Beaujolais from France, gamay from Ontario or dolcetto from Italy.

Chef Rob Feenie

Cactus Club Cafe

200-604 West Broadway
Vancouver, British Columbia
Phone: 604.714.2025
www.cactusclubcafe.com

Other recipes by Rob Feenie
- May 2009 :: Corn And Crab Chowder With Fritters