Autumn is upon us!...but no one told my garden. I love this little bit of time between two seasons when you still have some remnants of the last season and can blend them with some ingredients that are coming around with the new season. This is very much the case with our garden now. We still have a plethora of tomatoes, beans, beets, broccoli, herbs, lettuces, squash and peppers. As the weather has started to cool down I am enjoying the opportunity to make some warmer and heartier dishes with these ingredients. But it's still in the high 70s here and there are some last bits of warmth I want to soak up before the weather finally turns.
This recipe was a blend of all of those thoughts. I took a look at everything from the garden and came up with this beautiful salad that is fresh but incorporates some fall ingredients; roasted nuts, hard cheese, beets and apples. This dish is great to stand alone as an appetizer/1st course or combine with a protein such as roasted chicken or salmon to create a filling lunch or dinner.
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Fall Garden Salad
Beets, Basil, Apple, Arugula, Pistachio, and Pecorino Romano
Serves 4 people
For the dressing:
- 26g Basil Leaves (no stems)(reserve some smaller leaves for garnish)
- 35g Roasted Pistachios
- 50g Pecorino Romano, Freshly Grated (Save 10g of the 50g for garnish)
- 125g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1ea Garlic Clove
- 30g Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Salad Ingredients:
- 500g Cooked Beets
- 1ea Granny Smith Apple
- 800g Arugula
- 10g Pecorino Romano (set aside from the above quantity)
Step 1: Make the dressing (it’s really kinda pesto)
Traditionally, pesto is made by hand using a mortar and pestle. When making large batches or when in a hurry, a food processor does the trick. So to get the dressing started, in a food processor combine the nuts and garlic. Pulse in the food processor until a crumb consistency. Now add in the basil and about half of the Olive Oil. Blend until the basil is broken down. The trick here is to blend the pesto just enough so that it is the right consistency. Don’t set the food processor running and go on some errands. Basil is a very delicate herb, and easily breaks down and oxidizes. Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil is delicate as well, it can easily become denatured from overmixing resulting in an off taste and poor quality sauce/dressing. Once the right consistency is achieved, add in the remaining Olive Oil and the balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. This dressing can be made a day ahead but best to be made the day of.
Step 2: Prepare your garnishes
A few tips to keep in mind when preparing salad toppings. Consider the size and shape of the different ingredients and how you would want to eat them. I like to have a little bit of everything in each bite. Cut the beets into wedges or any shape that is small enough to eat in a single bite. The goal here is to make bite size pieces but not cut them so small that their flavor is overwhelmed by the dressing. Once all of the beets are cut, spoon a few tablespoons of dressing over the beets and mix until they are fully dressed.
For the apples, cut the apple in half, remove the core, then slice thin. The thin slices of apple are easy to bend over and layer with the beets and lettuce. In this preparation you get more of the flesh of the apple and less skin per bite and this results in a burst of brightness that cuts through the densely flavorful dressing. If you were to dice the apple you may only ever have a bite with an apple or a beet but it is better to have them together.
Step 3: Build the Salads
In 4 dishes, evenly distribute the arugula. For this salad it is better not to dress the greens with the dressing because of its consistency. The dressing would be too heavy for the greens and cause them to break down. You want the greens to be crisp and fresh and will pick up the dressing when combining each item on your fork. If desired, you can lightly dress the arugula in olive oil, salt, and fresh pepper. Then, top each bed of lettuce with the dressed beets, apple slices, and freshly grated pecorino romano. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salads. Finish each dish with a few leaves of basil.
Step 4: Dig in!
