Roasted Beet Salad (My Copy Cat)

While visiting Seattle in March the "Gourmet Guy" and I went to Ivar's on the wharf.  We of course had some delicious fresh seafood that night but we also shared a salad the we both talked about for a couple of days.  For a few weeks I tried to find a recipe and then I finally broke it down and found or made up my own version of, here is my Roasted Beet Salad

Roasted Beets

1 gold beet
1 red beet  

Remove the greens and wash thoroughly, cover in foil separately so that the red color doesn't bleed into the pretty color of the yellow.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 50-55 mins. depending on the size of the beets.  Cool, remove the skin, and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

Vanilla Vinaigrette

1/3 c. olive oil
3 T white vinegar
1 T sugar
1/4 t ground pepper
2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t. salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Chill.  Shake vigorously before serving

Candied Cashews

1/4 c. sugar
2 T water
1 1/4 c lightly toasted cashews

Dissolve sugar in water and bring to a boil.  Add the nuts and coat evenly place on parchment and let stand.


Add the above recipes to a bed of mixed greens and slivers of white cheddar cheese, serve. 

(On the spring salad menu we noticed the same vinaigrette with strawberries instead of beets and  candied almonds instead of cashews.  Oh the possibilities.)