Weekend Recipe: Red, Gold and Orange Festive Salad

Another seasonal "weekend recipe" from Beth Bader for your weekly newsletter needs.

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I know, many people are not beet fans. But this dish is different. These are not canned pickled beets. In fact, this might be the dish that makes you wonder why you haven't been eating them all these years.

Red, Gold and Orange Festive Salad
2 large (3-inch-diameter) red beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large (3-inch-diameter) golden beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small fresh fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, cut into eighths
2 shallots cut into quarters
Coarse kosher salt
Fresh black pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled feta cheese
1 small can mandarin orange sections, or 4 clementines peeled and pulled into sections.
¼ cup chopped mint leaves, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets, fennel and shallot in 9x9x2-inch baking dish. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic over; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Toss beets with orange sections. Sprinkle on feta and garnish with mint, if desired.

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