Floral Greens Salad with roasted beets, criterion apples, peppered goat cheese and sugared pecans; served with Spanish sherry vinaigrette

Submitted by George M. Petrocelli, CMP, Director of Catering, Boca Raton (Fla.) Resort & Club­­

by C&RB Staff (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com)
November 2007
 

Serves Four

Amt Ingredient
4 medium red beets
1 criterion apple, peeled and diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1/4 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. truffle oil
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
4 ozs. goat cheese, sliced
16 ozs. mesclun mixed greens, washed and dried
12 each red and yellow tear-drop cherry tomatoes,
    sliced in half (sliced vine-ripened
    tomatoes may be substituted)
1/2 cup sugared whole pecans
 salt and cracked black pepper

Procedure: 
• Peel beets and cook in boiling salted water until tender. 
• Drain, shock and dice beets. 
• Place in mixing bowl with apples, onions, peppers, cilantro, oils and vinegar. 
• Mix well and season with salt and pepper. 
• Before refrigerating, place mixture into (4) 2” x 4” cylinders (placing the mixture in the cylinders prior to refrigerating helps the mixture keep its form).

For the Spanish sherry vinaigrette
Amt Ingredient
1 shallot, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 oz. port wine
1 oz. white balsamic vinegar
3 to 4 ozs. light olive oil
• Mix all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Chill.

Presentation
• Place washed greens on 10-inch plate with sliced goat cheese. 
• Gently slide beets from cylinder directly on plate. 
• Garnish with cherry tomatoes, sugared pecans and cracked black pepper. 
• Dress salad tableside with vinaigrette.