DOWN on the FARM
with Tom Willey
NUTTY BEET & VEGETABLE SALAD
Adapted from From Asparagus to Zucchini by Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition.
- 2 to 3 Beets, cooked and diced
- 1 to 2 Carrots, cooked and diced
- 1 Rutabaga, cooked and diced
- 1 1/2 cup Apples, diced
- 1 1/2 cup cooked chicken, diced (optional)
- 4 cups Lettuce & Arugula, washed and torn
- 6 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
- 2/3 cup walnuts, toasted 6 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees
- Dressing:
- 1/3 cup minced leeks
- 5 Tbls. cider vinegar
- 3 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley
- 4 tsp. Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Make the dressing: combine leeks, vinegar, parsley and mustard. Whisk in olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper. Alternately, mix some Dijon mustard into a prepared vinaigrette (my favorite: Newman’s Own Honey Mustard). Use leftover cooked vegetables or prepare them in the microwave. One at a time, toss beets, carrots, apples, rutabagas and chicken (if using) with enough dressing to barely coat. Cover the bottom of a large wide bowl with the salad greens. Arrange the dressed ingredients on top (you can arrange them in concentric rings or in stripes, alternating colors). Sprinkle with blue cheese and walnuts, adjust seasoning and serve.