Marinated Beet Salad with Garlic Confit Vinaigrette

Directions

1. For the garlic confit
2. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Edge the heat to medium-low—just enough heat that oil bubbles ever so gently. Cook until garlic is fragrant and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
3. Pour into a jar, cool, and seal. Use the garlic oil and poached cloves for cooking. Garlic will keep up to 4 weeks in the fridge.

1. For the marinated beet salad
2. Preheat oven to 350° F.
3. Scrub the beets. Trim all but 1/4 inch of the greens and reserve. Set whole beets in a deep baking dish, add water to a 1/4-inch depth, sprinkle beets generously with sea salt, and cover tightly with foil. Roast beets for 40 to 50 minutes, or until fork tender. Run beets under cold water and peel off skins. Trim the tops and then slice beets into 1/2 inch-thick wedges.
4. In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the garlic. Whisk in the raspberry wine vinegar, olive oil, mustard, soy, maple, and spices, along with a generous pinch of sea salt.
5. In a large bowl, toss beets with vinaigrette. Cover and set in fridge to marinate—preferably overnight, but for at least an hour.
6. Just before serving, chop 1 bunch beets greens and mince the green onions. Toss greens and green onions with the beets, adjust salt and acid levels, and serve. (Note: Things are going to get very pink—to preserve the green hue of the beet tops, leave a few out of the mix and tuck in or scatter around the salad when plating.)