Ingredients
Orange Vinaigrette
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon minced fresh lemon thyme or thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
2 pounds rainbow beets, peeled and sliced 1-inch thick (6 to 8 medium)
8 ounces spring mix salad greens (about 8 cups)
8 ounces Keystone Farms Cheese Mozzarella, cubed
1/3 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
Orange zest
Minced fresh lemon thyme or thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Orange Vinaigrette
1 Whisk the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, Dijon mustard, orange zest and thyme in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Salad
1 Heat oven to 425°F. Line a 17 x 12-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
2 Drizzle beets with 1/4 cup vinaigrette on prepared pan; toss to coat. Arrange beets in a single layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until beets are tender, flipping once. Cool completely.
3 Toss salad greens with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in a large bowl. Transfer greens to a serving platter. Top with beets and fresh mozzarella. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the pistachios, orange zest and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cheesemonger Tip
Fresh, milky mozzarella is part of the pasta filata (meaning “spun paste” in Italian) family. Pasta filata cheeses share a common cheesemaking technique. The process involves heating the curds with hot water and then working or stretching them into a smooth, molten mass before forming them into balls, braids, logs and other shapes.
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