Roasted Beets Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese, Kale & Pistachio Salsa Verde

Chef Aniceto Sousa’s rejuvenating kale and beet salad adds life to a fall table.

Roasted Beets Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese, Kale & Pistachio Salsa Verde

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the whipped goat cheese:

8 oz soft goat cheese

1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Zest of 1 orange

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (if possible use O-Med yuzu olive oil)

1 tsp kosher salt

For the roasted beets:

2 lb beets

4 tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

2 tbsp fresh thyme

1/4 cup orange juice

For the pistachio salsa verde:

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup cilantro

1/4 cup dill

1/4 cup mint

Good olive oil

1 pinch pepperoncino

Zest of 1 orange

Juice of 1 orange

1/4 cup toasted and chopped pistachios

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

For the whipped goat cheese:

Put all ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed and mix all the ingredients for about 45 seconds to a minute. The goat cheese should be light and creamy.

For the roasted beets:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After washing and scrubbing any dirt off the beets place them in a roasting pan. Coat the beets with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan, enough to touch the bottom of the beets. Cover with foil and roast for about an hour, until the beets are tender. Allow the beets to cool to about room temperature before peeling, then cut into bite-size pieces and marinate in the fridge with orange juice and remaining olive oil until ready to eat salad.

For the pistachio salsa verde:

Chiffonade all the herbs and cover with just enough olive oil, to prevent oxidation. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and taste to check seasoning. Feel free to use any combination of herbs you'd like.

To assemble:

Place a spoonful of whipped goat cheese on the bottom of a plate or shallow bowl. Place a handful of kale on top of the cheese. Place some beets around on top of the kale. Drizzle the Pistachio Salsa Verde atop the salad and season lightly with kosher salt and fresh black pepper.

RECIPES BY ANICETO SOUSA/PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA PETRILLA/ STYLING BY LAUREN PIASECKI