This is a rich, really delicious luncheon salad that can be made ahead. It’s a great use of garden-fresh beets.
Sometimes I substitute the feta with crumbled homemade ricotta or ricotta salata. Serves 4.
Ingredients
4 medium sized beets, about 1 ½ pounds
4 slices bacon, room temperature or a bit cooler
4 tablespoons vinaigrette, or oil and vinegar to taste
4 tablespoons chopped scallions (green and white parts)
4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or flat-leafed parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Wash the beets well and place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Cook until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain but retain the beet water to make Beet Granita (recipe follows). When cool enough to handle, peel and slice the beets.
(You can also grill the beets: boil them until you can penetrate the beet with a fork tine, but before they are tender. Slice and grill.)
Place the bacon on a rimmed cookie sheet and place in the oven with the beets. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels or brown paper bags, and then crumble the bacon. You can also fry the bacon in a skillet over a medium heat on top of the stove until brown, then drain.
When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and slice. Toss the beets in a bowl with the vinaigrette or olive oil and vinegar to taste.
On a serving platter arrange the sliced beets. Garnish with the feta cheese, scallions, bacon, and cilantro. Season to taste (be careful: both the feta and bacon may already be quite salty.)
