Beet Salad with Oranges, Grilled Scallions & Black Sesame Paste

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• For the Salad:
• 4 medium beets
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 bunch scallions, roots trimmed
• 1 orange, peel and pith removed, into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• For the Sesame Seed Paste:
• 1/2 cup black sesame seeds, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• For the Vinaigrette:
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1/2 small shallot, chopped
• 4 teaspoons yuzu or fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place beets in an ovenproof skillet. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Add 1 cup water and cover pan tightly with foil. Roast beets until easily pierced with a fork, 1 hour. Transfer to a plate to cool. Wipe skillet clean.

Add scallions, remaining olive oil and a pinch of salt to skillet. Toss to mix. Roast in oven, uncovered, until soft and slightly browned, 15 minutes. Set aside.

Once beets have cooled, trim tops and peel. Set aside ½ beet for vinaigrette and cut remaining beets into ½-inch-thick wedges. Cut scallions into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Make Sesame Paste:
In a small skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Grind seeds, adding water a little at a time, to form a paste. With motor running, drizzle in oil until emulsified. Add honey and salt and pulse to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

Make Vinaigrette:
Use a blender or food processor to purée reserved ½ beet, soy sauce, mustard, shallots, yuzu and honey until mixture is relatively smooth. With motor running, drizzle in oil until emulsified. Set aside.

To serve:
Toss beets with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette. Brush sesame paste onto a serving platter, then top with oranges and beets. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Drizzle additional vinaigrette over top as desired.