Caramelized Beet, Orange, and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 large beets, roasted, peeled, and sliced into 3/8" thick rounds
- 4 medium oranges, topped and tailed, peeled, and sliced into 3/8" thick rounds
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon anise-flavored liqueur such as Pernod or Sambuca
- 1 teaspoon anise and/or fennel seeds, lightly toasted
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ¾ teaspoon coarse salt
- black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 7 ounces feta, broken into 3/8 inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon oregano leaves, small ones left whole and larger ones chopped
- 1 cup arugula
Instructions
Cook caramel and beets
- Place large frying pan over medium heat and add ½ the sugar.
- Leave for 2-3 minutes, or until sugar turns golden caramel color. Do not stir.
- Once sugar is golden, add ½ the beets.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn beets over and cook for a minute more.
- Remove beets from pan, add second batch, and repeat the cooking process.
Cook oranges
- Add remaining sugar to pan, return to heat, and let sugar start to caramelize.
- Add oranges, cooking for 1 minute on each side. The oranges should take on a rich caramel color.
- Remove oranges from pan and add them to the beets.
Prepare dressing
- Remove frying pan, with caramel, from the heat.
- Into the caramel, whisk lemon juice, liqueur, aniseeds, garlic, ¾ teaspoon coarse salt, and a generous grind of black pepper.
- Once ingredients are combined, whisk in olive oil. Set aside.
Assemble salad
- Arrange beets and oranges on a large platter.
- Dot with feta pieces.
- Drizzle any juices left on the fruit plate over the top, followed by the dressing.
- Sprinkle with oregano and arugula.
Notes
Adapted from Plenty More, by Yotam Ottolenghi