Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Beets

4 medium size beets
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette

1 medium red onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup EVOO
1/4 cup goat cheese, preferably local (we use Pure Luck)
6 to 12 tarragon leaves
2 cups local salad greens

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Trim the tops of the beets. Wash the beets and then toss with the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Put beets in a roasting pan and cover in foil. Roast the beets until they can be easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes then peel the outer skin. It is usually easier to skin beets when they are warm. Using a mandoline (food slicer), thinly slice the beets into a large bowl. Peel and cut red onion in half and using the mandoline, thinly slice onion into the same bowl. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Gently toss all ingredients so that every slice of beet and onion has an even coating of oil and vinegar. Arrange beets on a plate with a small amount of local salad greens as a base. Sprinkle the cheese on and around the beets and top with tarragon leaves. This salad can be made ahead of time and will keep for a few days refrigerated. Remember to pull the beets out an hour before being served, as they are best eaten at room temperature.

Serves 6.

(Not tested by Texas Monthly.)