Beet and Fennel Salad with Beet Vinaigrette
#189024 - 06/24/05 09:38 PM
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lalala
Reged: 02/14/05
Posts: 2634
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The following recipe is from Organic Style -- July/August 2005. I haven't tried this yet, but I know Wind, Retrogade, and a few others here love beets. I left out 6 oz of cheese, which the original recipe called for.
Beet and Fennel Salad with Beet Vinaigrette
Makes 6 appetizer portions
2 dozen baby beets (red, golden, striped or a mix), scrubbed and trimmed
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling (I'm sure you could use less or substitute a cooking oil spray like PAM!)
2 small fennel bulbs with fronds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced garlic
(1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a small amount of oil over beets and toss well to coat. Wrap beets in aluminum foil (keep colored beets separate from golden), leaving a small tent above them to allow beets to steam. Place beets on baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes (beets should be fairly firm). Remove and let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel and thinly slice beets. Chop 1 tablespoon red beets and reserve.
(2)Slice fennel paper thin. Chop 1 tablespoon of fennel fronds; toss in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
(3) In a blender or food processor, combine the reserved tablespoon of chopped beets, 3 tablespoons oil, vinegar, honey, and garlic. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange fennel on 6 plates. (Here the original recipe included several wedges of "fresh farmer's cheese." As an alternative I guess you could use soy cheese, although I personally prefer the texture and taste of almond cheese.) Top with sliced beets. Drizzle with beet vinaigrette and serve.
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sounds great!!
but, just wondering, what is the diff. between soy and almond cheese in terms of texture. Why do you prefer it? i usu. eat soy cheese and have never had almond cheese (though i have seen it).
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--maikko
IBS-A, mostly C-- many foods intolerant 
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M!M!, you won my HEART with this salad. Ironically I hit the market, hunting for assorted beets and fennel. No golden ones to speak of this week, so just the traditional variety this week. I will be eating this salad, I'm sure, at least once this week. I may, however, roast the fennel. Fennel bulb is divine, roasted. I don't think it needs the cheese imposters at all. I'll skip the olive oil and the garlic/pepper as they irritate my tummy. I make a similar salad with carrot and fennel and asparagus and fennel and portabella mushrooms. I just make the dressing with carrot puree versus beet if using carrots, or even asparagus puree.
It's not bad with green and yellow beans, either. I think I'll just give it a twist of lime to enhance the balsalmic beets. Thanks a BUNCH!!!
Sometimes, when roasting beets I roast them in a little balsalmic vinegar...you know, marinate the beets as you would a piece of meat.
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Hi, Maikko! In my experience, the soy cheeses (SoyKaas, Galaxy brands) have seemed rubbery and dry, while the almond cheese has a smoother, creamier taste and melts better. To be honest, I haven't had any cheese substitute since the winter because I believe I'm intolerant of casein and carrageenan--two additives which cause me abdominal bloating and gas. So far I've only been able to find SoyCo Vegan Soy Parmesan without carrageenan or casein; my local HFS doesn't carry another other SoyCo/Galaxy cheese substitutes. Sometimes I think about buying the almond cheese (Lisanatti brand), but I don't want to take any chances! 
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You're very welcome! Let me know how it turns out! I don't think I've ever eaten beets before, but all the beet talk around here and finding this article the other day make we want to try it! I'll given it a go in the next couple of weeks--roasting whole fennel is new to me as well! Like you, I'll probably leave out the olive oil and add some lime (my favorite--I like it better than lemon!). 
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I've been meaning to try fennel bulb but so far have only seen Anise. Looks similar. What would be the difference?
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As far as I know they are the same thing. You are referring to that big white thing of course, that looks sort of like a Viking hat?
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The Anise that I've seen looks like a bigger mishaped version of celery heart (sort of)
Could it be Fennel?
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That's the one! Fennel is often called Anise. It's this big white bulbous thing with those licorice like smelling green things. It does resemble celery.
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Maria!Maria! I made a modified version of this, today and IT WAS DIVINE!!! I knew it would be, containing some of my favourite things!!!
I roasted a 1/2 small fennel bulb, versus eating it raw, chopping it ultra-finely. This is easier on my tummy. I omitted the oil (used Pam) and the garlic. I used a bit of lime with the balsalmic
vinegar and substituted stevia for the honey. I also tossed in 2 celery sticks, very finely slivered/chopped and roasted it--more for the flavouring than anything else. I skipped the faux cheese idea altogether. I'll be eating more of this throughout the summer/fall/winter. I accompanied it later with Portabella mushrooms. It's sweet with just enough bite and tang. My inner velveteen rabbit was THRILLED. I dig my roots!
Edited by Wind (06/29/05 06:48 PM)
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--------------------
Formerly known as Ruchie
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Ruchie, I'm sorry for the late reply. I've been out of town and just plain OUT OF IT! 
Almond cheese is a cheese substitute made out of almonds, instead of soy or rice. I like the Lisanatti brand, which, in my area, I can only find at Fred Meyer stores (aka Kroger), and, I've noticed, it's a little bit cheaper (about $2.99) than the soy ones.
HTH! 
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