Wild Earth Salad
I’ve been wanting to create a beautiful salad that is full of color and complexity and I recently posed a question to the Instagrams asking for recommendations and favorite unique additions to their salads. A friend of mine mentioned beets, and I launched into this quest to build the perfect beet salad that isn’t just beets. It’s an everything for everyone salad, if you’re okay with picking things out and you can deal with the food touching other food deal ;). I decided to source a majority of the ingredients from my local farmer’s market and then building the rest of the salad from there.
I wasn’t able to find golden beets at the farmer’s market (enter Central Market)… but I did find fresh light honey figs, sunflower microgreens and a big ol’ bag of fresh arugula. I was still determined to incorporate the beets, so it was off to the store to pick up a few bunches as well as fresh mint, fennel, ginger, burrata and some edible marigolds.
A beautiful, family style salad is the perfect addition to any party. And for me personally, I love something fresh to balance all the fun cocktails and carbs that usually accompany any fête. (Did I just come up with a brilliant party concept, Cocktail and Carbs?… I might have to make that happen) However in this case, I brought this salad over to a friend’s house to share and passed a few bowls around and called it a day.
My favorite part of this salad is the mix of fennel and beets, with its earthy and peppery taste. Add the sweetness of the figs, the tang of the vinaigrette, creaminess of the burrata and freshness of the mint, and you’ve got a symphony of flavors that really gives meaning to Wild Earth Salad. I hope you get to enjoy this one as much as I did!
Everyone loves a “big salad”, cue Seinfeld theme song…
WILD EARTH SALAD
Serves 4-6
Ginger Mustard vinaigrette
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
3 tsp Grey Poupon dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
6 Tbsp Agrumato lemon olive oil
Salt + pepper to season
Combine ginger, mustard, and vinegar in a small mixing bowl.
Whisk in olive oil one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
ingredients
2 large golden beets, cooked and sliced
1 medium fennel, sliced thinly
8-10 light honey figs (Johnson’s Backyard Garden)
4-5 sprigs of fresh mint
4 oz of sunflower microgreens (Reverse Pioneers)
1 bag of fresh arugula (Marysol’s Family Farm)
Fresh burrata
Ginger mustard vinaigrette, recipe above
Agrumato lemon olive oil
Maldon sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
Edible marigold flowers for garnish
STEPS
In a large serving bowl, toss 3/4 portion of the arugula, microgreens and fennel in the ginger mustard vinaigrette to taste. I like to season the majority of the greens at the bottom of the bowl and then beautifully layer everything else on top with minimal dressing. That allows people to choose whether they want a lighter salad or a more seasoned salad.
Layer the remaining arugula, microgreens, and fennel on top.
Arrange the golden beets, sliced honey figs, mint, burrata and edible marigolds throughout the greens.
Drizzle the agrumato oil on top and season with the Maldon sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
When serving, break the burrata and serve with the greens to create a creamy balance to the acidic vinaigrette and earthy flavors.
