Roasted Beet & Spinach Salad with Toasted Walnuts & Goat Cheese

Serves 6

3 bunches baby beets
1/2 cup walnut pieces
4 oz. baby spinach
3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1 TBS fresh dill, chopped

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
1 cup olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove tops from beets, wash and wrap
in foil. Place in the oven and roast for approximately one hour, until
easily pierced with a knife.

When done remove from the oven, unwrap foil and wait until cool enough
to handle, then peel. Cut into thick slices and reserve.

Place walnuts in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to
a boil over high heat and drain. (Boiling the walnuts first helps to
take away the bitter tannins.)

Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Spread walnuts out on a flat tray and bake until evenly brown,
approximately 25 minutes.

Clean the spinach, spin dry and reserve. In a stainless steel bowl
place the Balsamic vinegar, minced shallots, a pinch of salt and
freshly ground pepper.

Slowly whisk in olive oil to emulsify.

In two separate bowls, place spinach and beets with chopped dill. Toss
both the spinach and beets with enough vinaigrette to coat.

On chilled plates, make a bed of spinach, top with roasted beets and
sprinkle with walnut pieces and crumbled goat cheese.

Note: A combination of gold and red beets makes for a colorful
presentation.

Enjoy with a glass of Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc.

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