We love our chi-chi condiments. Next to perusing the farmer’s market for fresh produce each week, keeping our pantry shelves lined with beautiful bottles of artisanal vinegar, stone-ground mustard and cold-pressed olive oil is our favorite means of staying off the take-out speed dial and on the path to healthful home-cooking!
If you’re as obsessed with artisan olive oils as we are, listen up! We Olive, a sweet online shop stuffed with olive oils from California’s best artisan growers, is throwing an olive oil recipe contest – and we’re more than happy to support. The more our oh-so-savvy readers are obsessing over olive oil, the more we expect to find delicious olive oil dishes cropping-up at all the coolest restaurants!
Enter We Olive’s recipe contest and win a foodie trip to the Central Coast or simply whip up this beautiful summer salad with one of Pasolivo’s citrus-infused olive oils. The roasted beets and fresh fennel make for a lively combination of flavors and texture. The citrus-infused olive oil compliments the bitter, peppery arugula. It’s impressive enough to serve as a first course when entertaining, but simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Chiogga beets are used here for their lovely purple and white color, but standard red beets or golden beets will also work just fine. If you don’t have tangerines on hand, a bit of fresh orange juice will do the trick too!
Beet Salad With Citrus-Infused Olive Oil
by Emily Davis
Ingredients:
1 bunch of medium beets (approximately 8 beets)
1 Tbsp extra virgin citrus-infused olive oil
1 small fennel bulb (with fronds attached if possible – chop a few tablespoons of the fronds for garnish)
2 tangerines, peeled and sectioned
5 oz. arugula, washed
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate tangerine vinaigrette – recipe follows
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the beets and trim the tops and root ends. Peel each beet with a vegetable peeler and cut in half. If the beets are large, cut into 2-inch chunks.
Toss the beets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Beets are done when tender. Set aside to cool.
Halve the fennel bulb lengthwise and cut out the inner core. Thinly slice into strips.
Combine the beets, tangerine, and fennel in a bowl and toss with 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
In a separate bowl, toss the arugula with the remaining quarter cup of vinaigrette and season with a bit of salt.
To plate, divide the arugula among four plates, scatter the tangerine, beet, and fennel mixture over the top of the arugula and garnish with chopped fennel fronds. Enjoy!
Pomegranate Tangerine Vinaigrette
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons pomegranate champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh tangerine juice from two one tangerine
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup extra virgin citrus-infused olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, juice, and honey until combined. Gradually add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until thoroughly emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
