Roasted Beets With Feta Cheese And Basil

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 medium sized fresh beets

• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, cut into thin strips

• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

• Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Scrub beets well and dry, then coat each with a little olive oil.  Place in an ovenproof pan, cover with foil and roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the beets are tender (a knife should easily go into the beets).

3. Remove the beets from the oven and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.

4. Remove the skin from the cooled beets and cut into bite sized pieces.  Place the cut beets back in the pan and toss with 2 tablespoons each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Roast for an additional 10 minutes.

5. Place the cooked beets in a large bowl.  Add the basil with the remaining 1 tablespoon each of balsamic and olive oil and mix well.  Add feta cheese and toss gently, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Korean Melon & Prosciutto Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Korean melon, peeled, cubed

• 1 red onion, small, halved, sliced thinly

• 1 small pickling, Persian, or English cucumber (no wax), halved lengthwise, sliced thin crosswise

• 1 bunch basil, de-stemmed, leaves chopped small

• 1 medium lime, juiced

• 1 package prosciutto, cut in bite-sized pieces

• balsamic vinegar

• cracked black pepper & kosher salt

• Optional: shishito peppers, de-stemmed, minced

PREPARATION:

1. Toss the melon, onion, cucumber, basil, and shishito peppers (if using) in a large bowl.

2. Juice lime over the bowl. Toss lightly. Season to taste with pepper and salt.

3. Fold in prosciutto. Cover and chill for 15 minutes or more.

4. Remove from the refrigerator and toss again.

5. Plate individually. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over salad in a light stream.

Cast-Iron Pizza with Fennel and Sausage

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz. store-bought pizza dough, room temperature

• 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 8 oz. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

• 1/3 cup prepared marinara

• 3/4 cup coarsely grated low-moisture mozzarella

• 1/2 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

• Kosher salt

• Crushed red pepper flakes and torn basil leaves (for serving)

PREPARATION:

1. Place a rack in top-most position of oven; preheat to 475°F. Place dough on a work surface; drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil, turning to coat. Stretch out to a 10" round and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Cook sausage, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned in spots and cooked though, 5–8 minutes. Transfer sausage to a small bowl.

3. Remove skillet from heat and carefully lay dough inside (use spoon to help you extend dough all the way to the edges). Season with salt, then spread marinara over entire surface of dough. Top with mozzarella, then fennel, garlic, and cooked sausage. Drizzle with another 2 Tbsp. oil. Peek underneath the crust—the bottom should be golden brown and crisp from residual heat in the skillet. If it’s not, set over medium-low and cook until crust is golden brown, about 3 minutes.

4. Transfer skillet to oven and bake pizza on top rack until crust is golden brown around the edges and cheese is browned in spots and bubbling all over, 10–14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then top with red pepper flakes and basil. Sprinkle with more salt and drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil.

Grilled Eggplant Caprese

INGREDIENTS:

• Slices from 2 grilled eggplants (about 14 to 16 slices)

• 4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced (TIP: You could also mix it up and use ½ cup cherry tomatoes, or use a mix of both.)

• 6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into slices

• 1 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil (or use whole basil leaves)

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

• ⅛ tsp each coarse sea salt and ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Spread eggplant, tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter. Scatter basil on top. Drizzle with oil and vinegar then sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Rainbow Salad with Beet, Kale & Avocado Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD:

• 2 large red and/or golden beets, peeled

• 2 cups loosely packed finely chopped kale

• 2 tbsp shelled unsalted whole pistachios

• 2 tbsp soft goat cheese, crumbled

• 1 tsp unsalted sunflower seeds

AVOCADO DRESSING:

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves, plus additional for garnish

• 2 tsp raw honey

• Pinch each sea salt and ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Slice ends off beets. Working one at a time, secure beets in a spiral slicer and turn the crank to create noodles.

2. In a large bowl, combine beet noodles, kale, pistachios, cheese and seeds.

3. To a mini food processor or blender, add all dressing ingredients plus 4 tbsp water; process until smooth. Add more water, 1 tbsp at a time, and process until dressing reaches desired consistency.

4. Pour dressing over kale and beet mixture; toss to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow dressing flavors to permeate the ingredients; toss again before serving. Garnish with additional basil (if using).