photography by Kevin Marple
“After a blistering winter season and endless pots of soup, the beet salad at Nonna is a delicious departure. It is the perfect recipe for recovery from whatever ails you.” —Peggy Levinson
Serves 4
Salad
1 lb. baby beets
1 Cara Cara orange
2 blood oranges
1 ruby red grapefruit
1 avocado
2 bunches watercress
½ cup champagne vinegar
½ cup olive oil
½ shallot
Vinaigrette
½ shallot
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
Salt
Directions
Place oiled and salted beets in a pan with a bit of water. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Cool, peel, and quarter the beets. Next, marinate the beets in champagne vinegar and olive oil with diced shallot half for 30 minutes. While the beets marinate, peel and section the citrus in wedges and rounds and dice and salt the avocado. Combine citrus, avocado, and marinated beets on the plate. For the vinaigrette, place the other diced shallot half in red wine vinegar. Add Dijon mustard and wash in olive oil. Salt to taste. Lightly toss watercress in vinaigrette and add to salad.