This recipe also works very well with carrots. Just julienne the carrots and don’t boil them.

Ingredients

• 4 beets (about 2 pounds)
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 12 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salad greens
• 1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata, feta, or chevre
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans or pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions
Boil the beets in salted water until tender. Run them under cold water, slip off their peels, and quarter them. Whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, salt and pepper. In a seal-able container, pour this mixture over the beets and toss. Seal the container and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Strain the beets, reserving the liquid. Whisk the reserved liquid with the mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil. On a platter or on plates, mound the salad greens, top with the beets, drizzle with the vinaigrette and top with crumbled cheese and nuts.