Golden Beet Salad with Shaved Fennel

Tossed with a blood orange vinaigrette, this showpiece salad boasts beautiful color.

Ingredients:
1 bunch golden beets, cleaned and trimmed
4 cups water
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3 blood oranges*
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly shaved crosswise, fronds reserved
4 cups loosely-packed butter lettuce greens

*If you can’t find blood oranges, you can substitute 2 Navel oranges.

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place beets in a large roasting pan and pour over water, red wine vinegar, sugar and 3 tablespoons salt. Cover with parchment and foil. Roast until just tender, they should be easily pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes.

2. Peel beets under cool water. Cut into quarters. Juice two of the blood oranges in a small pot and reduce by half. Add reduction to a blender with one beet and champagne vinegar and blend until smooth. While motor is running add oil and season with salt and pepper. Strain into a medium bowl.

3. Remove skin and sections from remaining orange. Toss the fennel, fronds, and greens in 2 tablespoons dressing. Plate dressed greens. Toss remaining beets and blood orange (peeled and cut into sections) in vinaigrette, season with more salt and pepper if necessary and arrange on top of greens.