There's a lot to love about a beet salad. First, beets are one of only a few vegetables that grow year-round in Pennsylvania, allowing for a pop of local freshness even on the grayest of winter days. Casbah Executive Chef Dustin Gardner added a roasted beet salad to the menu years ago. It quickly became a crowd favorite, securing its place on the menu permanently. What can — and should — change this dish is the greens that go into it. Use what's fresh and seasonal, and what appeals to you, Gardner encourages. “Bitter greens go well; we often use dandelion greens or red oaks. Even butter lettuce would work.”

Ingredients:

1 pound roasted beets

1 handful local greens 

2 tablespoons Marcona almonds, roughly chopped

1/4 cup whipped ricotta

3-finger pinch fine herbs 

1/4 cups French green lentil vinaigrette (recipe below)

Directions:

Plate ricotta, then toss all other ingredients in dressing. Scoop onto ricotta, and top with almonds.

French Green Lentil Vinaigrette 

Ingredients:

2 cups red vinegar 

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 

1 pinch Dijon mustard

3 cups extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon thyme 

1 cup cooked lentils 

Directions:

Emulsify all of the ingredients except for the lentils. Once emulsified, but still in the blender, add half of the cooked lentils. Pulse for a few seconds. Pour into vessel, along with remaining lentils.

 Pro Tip: For easy peeling, add a splash of vinegar to the beets as they cook.

Recipe by Dustin Gardner, Casbah/ Photography by Adam Milliron/ Styling by Quelcy Kogel