Fall

Brilliant Autumn Salad

by:
October 18, 2010
4
1 Ratings
Brilliant Autumn Salad
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Here’s a brilliantly colored, tasty salad to brighten up the cold grey days of fall and winter. Roast the carrots whole, but at a somewhat lower temperature than you typically would, to keep them from caramelizing too much, thus retaining their nice orange color. You can use either gold or red beets, but I prefer the red for their beautiful color. Keep the two vegetables separate after grating, and toss the carrots with the dressing. Then add the beets at the last minute and toss, right before serving. Enjoy!! —AntoniaJames

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces whole fresh beets (weight with greens removed but not trimmed)
  • 8 ounces whole carrots (4 or 5 medium ones)
  • Juice of one large lime
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons tasty olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Directions
  1. Scrub the beets and roast them for about an hour in foil in a 350 degree oven, turning the packets over after 30 minutes. Check them at 50 minutes; you want a knife to go through them easily, but they should not be too soft. (I cut in half any beet larger than a tennis ball before roasting.) Remove from the oven, open the packets and let them cool.
  2. Scrub and peel the carrots. Roast them whole on a lightly oiled baking sheet, turning them every 15 minutes or so, at 350 degrees, for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size. When a knife goes easily into the carrots' thick ends, but they are still a bit firm, remove from the oven and cool.
  3. Remove the tops from and grate the carrots, using a food processor. Then put them in the bowl in which you plan to serve the salad.
  4. Remove the tops and skins from the beets and grate them, using a food processor. Set them aside.
  5. To the carrots, add the lime juice, vinegar, a pinch of salt and the mint and toss lightly. Add the oil and toss again.
  6. Just before serving, add the beets and toss. Check for salt and correct, if necessary. Add freshly ground pepper, if you like.
  7. Enjoy!
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AntoniaJames

Recipe by: AntoniaJames

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24 Reviews

aargersi
aargersi November 21, 2012
everybody is in the oven roasting - this salad is now a TDay tradition in our house! LOVE it!!!
 
lapadia
lapadia September 25, 2011
Brilliant in many ways!
 
drbabs
drbabs November 18, 2010
What a wonderful salad! If my family ate beets, I would make it for Thanksgiving. As it is, I will have to eat it all myself. :)
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 18, 2010
Thank you! It would be tasty just with carrots . . . you could make a version for them, and a version for you. Or, you could go sneaky on them and roast some gold beets and slip those in and see if anyone notices. They might not. I'm shameless in doing things like that. Remind me the next time I see you to tell you about my mother's sour cream cake . . . . ;o)
 
aargersi
aargersi November 18, 2010
I just made this with golden beets (because that's what I have) and it is ABSOLUTELY going on TDay menu. The roasting and shredding, the lime and vinegar - holy cow. I can't stop eating it!! Oh I did use blood orange vingar. Another hit AJ!!!!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 18, 2010
Oh I'm so glad you love it. I know the feeling of "can't stop eating it." Oh well, at least it's not a gooey dessert that you can't put down. Thanks so much for trying it, and for your lovely, enthusiastic comments! ;o)
 
DrAyala
DrAyala November 18, 2010
I love beets! I will try this beautiful recipe this Friday. Many thanks.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 18, 2010
Thank you! I hope you do try it. I have a strong suspicion that it will be right up your alley. Tasty, simple, beautiful. Have I left anything out? Didn't think so. ;o)
 
Lizthechef
Lizthechef November 12, 2010
How did I miss this?! It would look beautiful on the Thanksgiving buffet - or I might serve this with tomorrow night's short ribs.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 12, 2010
Thank you! Yes, these are beautiful. I'm big on vibrant color. Plus, these hold really well for a day or two tightly covered in the fridge. Keep the shredded beets separate. ( hope you try them! ;o)
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen October 20, 2010
Lovely recipe especially for a fall salad with all your vibrant colors.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 20, 2010
Thanks, Sagegreen! I love the colors, too. We're having some pretty dreary weather here these days . . . and this is just the beginning of our "dark" season . . . so these vivid colors are particularly welcome, and will be even moreso in the dead of winter, when beets and carrots are plentiful and beautiful here. Just last night, I squeezed a dozen limes into ice cube trays, to lay in a supply of it just for this!! Thanks again. ;o)
 
TiggyBee
TiggyBee October 19, 2010
What a beautiful salad!! I'm going to save this to make soon. Love, love, love the color! : )
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 19, 2010
Thank you! I just posted a photo of the same salad made using gold beets. Not quite as vivid, but beautiful in its own right, and so autumn-y. The other day, I mixed both(red beet and gold beet) batches in a bowl and that, too, was gorgeous, as well. ;o)
 
TiggyBee
TiggyBee October 27, 2010
I've been meaning to post that I made this beautiful salad on Saturday for lunch and it didn't disappoint!! It was so vibrant and earthy and just wonderful, so thank you for a lovely recipe!! : )
 
ellenl
ellenl October 19, 2010
I'm trying this today. It looks and sounds luscious!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 19, 2010
Thank you so much! Let us know how it turns out. I could live on roasted vegetables. I'd never thought to make them into a salad like this before. I hope you like it!! ;o)
 
aliyaleekong
aliyaleekong October 19, 2010
Simple and beautiful! This looks fantastic - will have to try. Love roasted beets :)
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 19, 2010
Thank you. I hope you do try it! We love roasted beets too. I sort of overbought (primarily, in this case, because the greens were so gorgeous, and I wanted some sauteed greens and stems), so I just "happened" to have about two "extra" pounds of roasted beets. Thus, this salad. I'd never tried grating them and was pleased how well it turned out. ;o)
 
melissav
melissav October 18, 2010
Saving this. So beautiful. I'm thinking it might even make a great light side for Thanksgiving - a nice counterpoint to all the traditional heavy dishes.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 18, 2010
Thanks and yes, you're right. It would make a great Thanksgiving side . . . bright and colorful, flavorful, different without being weird + you can make it in advance (keeping the beets, if red, separate from the carrots until just before serving, as noted in the recipe). I hope you do try it! ;o) P.S. This is definitely on my Thanksgiving menu this year.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 19, 2010
By the way, my Pureed Roasted Parsnips and Butternut Squash with Creme Fraiche would also be in that category of lighter, colorful, non-traditional, make ahead, etc. Thanksgiving sides. The parsnips give it a surprising spiciness, and you only need a bit of creme fraiche to round out the flavors, and to make it special. ;o)

http://www.food52.com/recipes/3803_pureed_roasted_parsnips_and_butternut_squash_with_creme_fraiche#ixzz12m9dHBei
 
TheWimpyVegetarian
TheWimpyVegetarian October 18, 2010
This looks beautiful and tasty! Great idea to roast both the beets and carrots to get great flavor. I've saved this to try it very soon!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 18, 2010
Thanks! It sounds like a lot of lime juice and vinegar, but you need it, to cut the sweetness of the roasted veggies . . . add more mint if you like! I was surprised at how well the roasted beets and carrots went through the food processor grating blade. It wasn't as messy as I expected. I hope you like it! ;o)