The Summertime offers a wide range of fresh and healthy foods to choose from. This summery hazelnut salad takes it to a whole new “summer” level with all the goodness the season has to offer (plus hazelnuts of course).
This recipe includes the dressing, salad, and baguette toast side. YUM! It’s the perfect healthy lunch. You’ll be so glad you tried it!
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound medium red or golden beets (about 3), scrubbed
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup hazelnuts (about 4 ounces)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Twelve 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 pound blue cheese at room temperature
- 8 loosely packed cups mesclun (about 6 ounces)
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 3 tablespoons tarragon leaves
- 3 tablespoons chervil leaves
- 3 tablespoons snipped chives
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 475° – 500°.
Add the vinegar and water to a small baking dish and add the beets.
Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, or until tender.
Let cool, then peel the beets and cut them into 1/4-inch wedges.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.
Step 2
In a small bowl, drizzle the hazelnuts with the simple syrup (see the section below “Top with a Syrup Dressing”) and each of salt and pepper.
Add the hazelnuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the hazelnuts are shiny and dry.
Let them cool but leave the oven on.
Step 3
If your baguette isn’t in slices, cut 12 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices.
Brush both sides of the slices with olive oil.
Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.
Let them cool and then spread with the blue cheese.
Step 4
Whisk the vinegar and 6 tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, mesclun, herbs and mix it together.
Top with the beets and hazelnuts.
Serve with the baguette slices.
Top with a Syrup Dressing
Top your summery hazelnut salad off with 1 tablespoon of simple syrup. To make simple syrup, combine equal parts of sugar and water and simmer over moderate heat to dissolve the sugar. Refrigerate any leftover syrup.
