Little Gem Lettuce Salad with Beets & Walnuts

serves 2-3

for the roasted beets:

• 1 bunch baby beets (about 4-5 beets)
• a glug extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Clean baby beets, remove stems and place in a baking dish. Drizzle beets with a glug of olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and roast beets for 50-60 minutes, or until beets are tender. Remove from the oven and let beets cool to touch. Take a paper towel and rub the skins off the beets. Slice into quarters and set aside in a medium bowl for salad prep.

for the dressing:

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 teaspoons red wine vingear
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

In a small jar, combine dressing ingredients. Top jar with a lid and shake until dressing is completely emulsified.

for the salad:

• 3 cups roasted beets, quartered
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 2 small heads little gem lettuce
• 1/3 cup honey candied walnuts
• 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese

To assemble the salad, mix the chives in with the bowl of beets. Toss beets with a tablespoon of dressing. If you mix the beets with the lettuce, you’ll get pink leaves. In a large bowl, tear the butter lettuce and toss with the remaining dressing. Add walnuts and continue to toss. Plate the lettuce and walnuts into the serving bowls. Top each bowl with half of the beets. Crumble goat cheese on top of the beets and season with salt & pepper.