Disney Inspired Beet and Arugula Salad
Disney Inspired Beet and Arugula Salad
The sweetness of the beets is an interesting contrast to the peppery arugula in this starter served at Spoodles at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. Make sure you bake and peel the beets for this recipe to concentrate the flavor. Also, I skipped the cayenne pepper in the dressing - I didn't think it was necessary next to the pepperiness of the arugula.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups arugula leaves washed and spun dry
- Orange Vinaigrette
- 12 slices cooked beets (about 3 small beets) preferably red beets, Chioggia beets, and/or golden beets (I cut them into small, matchstick bites so as to not overwhelm the salad)
- ½ cup toasted walnut halves
- ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese use a vegetable peeler to shave cheese
Orange Vinaigrette Ingredients
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Chardonnay or other white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
Orange Vinaigrette
- Reduce the volume of the orange juice and the lemon juice by half in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in the vinegar, honey, coriander, salt, freshly ground pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using). Let cool to room temperature.
- Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Use immediately or store, covered and chilled, for up to 2 weeks. Whisk to combine just before using.
Salad Assembly
- Toss the arugula with about ¼ of the Orange Vinaigrette in a bowl until well coated. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary. Arrange on 4 salad plates, and toss again, for added height.
- In the same bowl, toss the beats with the remaining ¼ cup Orange Vinaigrette until well coated (taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary). Arrange the beats on top of the arugula.
- Garnish the salad with the walnuts and the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
The more types of beets you use for this salad, the more attractive it will be. Chioggia beets, also known as candy cane beets, have concentric circles of red and white and are quite stunning. If arugula is unavailable, a combination of watercress and spinach makes a great substitute.
From Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs, page 35. Some modifications by me.