The parts of this salad can be made in advance. The beets can be raosted, the almonds toasted, the greens washed, and the dressing whisked. The pears can even be diced a few hours in advance. Just toss them with a bit of the dressing to keep them from turning brown.
Serves 8
20 minutes preparation time
20-40 minutes roasting time
8 handfuls of a mix of seasonal greens and arugula
4 medium-sized beets, red or golden
2 Bosc pears
1/4 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons chopped dill
salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wrap the beets in foil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Roast until the beets are tender. Depending on the size of the beets, this will take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.
When the beets have cooked, set them aside until they are cool enough to handle. Peel off the foil and slip the skins off with your hands.
Slice the beets into bite-sized chunks. Wash the pears, slice and core them and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt pepper, and dill.
Put the greens in a large bowl. Add about half of the dressing and toss with the greens. Taste and, if needed, add additional dressing. You may not need it all. Sprinkle the pears, almonds, and beets over the top of the salad.