WARM ROASTED BEET & TANGERINE SALAD WITH ARUGULA, WALNUTS AND RED ONIONS
ABOUT ALL-MIGHTY ARUGULA
While this salad has so many great things going for it, I want to focus on the arugula, one of the most beloved salad greens in the Mediterranean. Here’s why!
Arugula is a nutrient-dense food that is high in fiber and phytochemicals. These include: Calcium, for bone health, tooth health, muscle function, and nerve function; Potassium, which, among other things, helps to reduce the negative effects of sodium; Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps support the immune system and is important for tissue health and the absorption of iron from food.
RATING
SERVES
4
PREP TIME
20 min
COOK TIME
1 h 5 min
Ingredients
- 2 large beets
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil
- 1 star anise optional
- 2 tangerines plus one for juicing
- ½ cup walnut halves coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 red onion halved and sliced
- 6 cups baby arugula trimmed, washed and spun dry
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or fig balsamic vinegar or more to taste
- 1 scant teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp fennel seed ground in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Trim and scrub the beets. Rub them lightly with olive oil and a little sea salt and place inside a piece of parchment large enough to hold them both. Add the allspice berries and star anise. Bring up the sides and fold over the edges to seal in the beets. Place the parchment inside a piece of aluminum foil and wrap to seal. Place on a shallow, small baking pan and roast the beets for about an hour, or until tender. Remove, cool, peel and slice into rounds and then into half moons.
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Prep everything else for the salad. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the pine nuts until they start to turn brown. Remove and set aside. Peel two of the tangerines and set the third one aside for juicing.
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Cut the tangerines into rounds about ¼-inch thick. Light a grill pan or nonstick skillet over high heat and drizzle in about a teaspoon of olive oil. Sear the tangerines a little, flipping gently to color a bit on both sides.
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Juice the remaining tangerine and strain the liquid into a small jar or bowl. Add them mustard, sherry or fig balsamic vinegar, salt to taste, and ground fennel seeds. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
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Place the arugula in a salad serving bowl and toss with about half the dressing. Add the nuts, tangerine slices and beet slices to the salad and drizzle the remaining dressing over the top. Serve.
Want to learn more easy, healthy Mediterranean diet recipes? Sign up for my online course “Mastering the Mediterranean!“
Want to learn more easy, healthy Mediterranean diet recipes? Sign up for my online course “Mastering the Mediterranean!“
