Traditional Winter Salad with Roasted Beetroot, Endive, Pear, and Blue Cheese - photo 1
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Traditional Winter Salad with Roasted Beetroot, Endive, Pear, and Blue Cheese

Cold Dishes Salads Regional Cuisine of Poland 90 min Medium 6 wyświetleń ~47.02 PLN - (0)
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Description

A full of contrasts, traditional winter salad combining the sweet, earthy roasted beetroot with slightly bitter chicory, juicy pear, and intense blue cheese. The addition of crunchy, toasted walnuts and a slightly sweet and sour honey-mustard dressing gives the dish a richness of textures and flavors. The dish has a striking, festive appearance thanks to the deep red of the beetroot, the creamy white of the cheese, and the golden slices of pear — it looks great on a large, white platter. Recommended as an appetizer for winter gatherings, Christmas Eve and holiday tables, as well as a light lunch during the cooler months.

Ingredients (15)

Servings:
4
  • Red beet 4 szt.
  • Chicory (endive) 240 g
  • Pear 1.7 szt.
  • Blue cheese (e.g. gorgonzola, roquefort, or local blue cheese) 150 g
  • Walnuts 80 g
  • Salad mix (e.g. lamb's lettuce, baby spinach, arugula) 120 g
  • Extra virgin olive oil 0.3 łyżek
  • Red wine vinegar 30 ml
  • Honey 30 ml
  • Dijon mustard 15 g
  • Lemon juice 15 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Dried cranberries 40 g
  • Fresh thyme (leaves) 5 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~47.02 PLN (11.76 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparing the vegetables

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top-bottom). Wash the beets under running water, trim the ends and any thin roots. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil (this will prevent excessive drying). Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 45–60 minutes (the time depends on the size of the beets). Check with a fork: the beet is ready when the fork easily goes into the center and the flesh is soft.

Ingredients: Red beet
Use kitchen gloves to handle hot beets. If you don't have foil, you can bake in a covered heatproof dish. For test units, pierce the beet with a fork after 45 minutes; larger ones may require up to 60 minutes.
2

Remove the roasted beets from the oven and let them cool for 15–20 minutes. Once cooled, unwrap the foil (be careful of the steam), peel off the skin: you can use a small knife to cut the skin and then remove it with your fingers or rub it with a paper towel. Cut the beets into slices about 8–10 mm thick, and then into quarters or cubes with a side of ~1 cm depending on your aesthetic preferences.

Ingredients: Red beet
You can use a paper towel for peeling to avoid getting your hands dirty. Use a sharp knife and a stable cutting board to achieve even slices. If you want, leave a few thin slices for decorating the edge of the plate.
3

Prepare the endive: cut off the tough base of each head (about 1 cm), separate the leaves and discard any damaged ones. If the leaves are large, cut them in half lengthwise. Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water or use a salad spinner to dry them. Similarly, wash and dry the salad mix.

Ingredients: Chicory (endive), Salad mix (e.g. lamb's lettuce, baby spinach, arugula)
The best is a salad spinner — the leaves will be dry and the dressing will coat them better. If you don't have one, use a clean kitchen towel to gently dry them.
4

Prepare the pears: peel them if the skin is tough (you can optionally leave the skin on), cut them into quarters and remove the cores with a sharp knife. Slice each quarter into thin slices (about 3–4 mm). Immediately drizzle with lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon = 15 g of juice) to prevent browning.

Ingredients: Pear, Lemon juice
Use a sharp knife and a stable cutting board. Lemon juice should not alter the taste of the pear, but it will preserve its color. If the pears are very ripe, cutting may require a gentler technique.
5

Toast the walnuts: heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and toast for 3–4 minutes, shaking the skillet every few seconds, until you can smell their nutty aroma and see darker spots — be careful not to burn them. Transfer to a plate to cool and once cooled, chop coarsely with a knife.

Ingredients: Walnuts
Use a non-stick frying pan with a diameter of 24–28 cm. If you prefer, you can roast the nuts in the oven at 180°C for 6–8 minutes. After roasting, let them cool to maintain their crunchiness.

Dressing

6

Prepare the honey-mustard dressing: in a jar with a lid or in a bowl, combine olive oil (60 g), red wine vinegar (30 g), honey (30 g), Dijon mustard (15 g), salt (3 g), and pepper (2 g). If using a jar, seal it tightly and shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds until the ingredients froth and combine. If using a bowl, whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until a smooth emulsion forms.

Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, Red wine vinegar, Honey, Dijon mustard, Salt, Ground black pepper
Use a jar with a capacity of at least 300 ml with a lid or a bowl and whisk. Taste the dressing and adjust: if it's too sour, add 1/2 teaspoon of honey; if it's too sweet, add a bit of vinegar. The dressing can be prepared up to 7 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Assembly and serving

7

Spread the salad mix on a large platter or in a salad bowl, and arrange the separated leaves of endive — the white, firm pieces can be used as decoration around the edges. In the center, place cubes of roasted beetroot and slices of pear in an aesthetically pleasing arrangement (e.g., alternating). Sprinkle with chopped, toasted walnuts and dried cranberries (optional). Finally, crumble the blue cheese (150 g) evenly with your fingers or a knife. Drizzle the salad with the prepared dressing (use about 80–120 g of dressing for the whole salad — drizzle just before serving to prevent the leaves from wilting).

Ingredients: Salad mix (e.g. lamb's lettuce, baby spinach, arugula), Chicory (endive), Red beet, Pear, Walnuts, Blue cheese (e.g. gorgonzola, roquefort, or local blue cheese), Dried cranberries
Use two salad spoons or your hands (if they are very clean) to gently mix/serve the ingredients. Always add the dressing just before serving. Additionally, you can add dried cranberries for a sweet-sour contrast.
8

Finishing: sprinkle the salad with fresh thyme leaves (a few sprigs), add freshly ground pepper, and optionally an extra portion of chopped nuts. Serve immediately to keep the leaves fresh and crunchy.

Ingredients: Fresh thyme (leaves), Ground black pepper, Walnuts
Use a small knife to chop the thyme or tear the leaves off with your fingers. If you are preparing the salad in advance, keep the dressing separate and combine the ingredients no more than 1 hour before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

In Polish cuisine, beetroot has been used for centuries — roasted beets with nuts and cheese is a traditional, rustic combination that has been passed down through generations due to the contrast of flavors and ease of preparation.

Best for

Świąteczne przyjęcie Wigilia jako alternatywna przystawka Zimowy lunch Spotkanie towarzyskie

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve on a large, bright platter to highlight the contrast of colors. Use the dressing just before serving to keep the leaves crisp. You can serve alongside fresh sourdough bread or thin buttered toast.

🥡 Storage

Store ingredients separately: roasted beets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, dressing in a jar for up to 7 days, toasted nuts in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Assembled salad is best eaten within a few hours — after a longer time, the leaves will become wilted.

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