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Mixed Greens with Roasted Beets, Wheat Berries and Goat Cheese

by Lynda Balslev


~ Yellow Beets, Wheat Berries, Goat Cheese, Chervil, Winter Greens ~

I used to hate beets. Now I can’t get enough of them. Perhaps I am scrambling to make up for all of those lost beet-eating years when I shuddered at the thought of tasting the earthy beet. Now that I am a covert, I always have a bunch of beets in my refrigerator, ready to accompany a roasting chicken or stir into a couscous or rice pilaf. Beets’ murky sweetness also adds a fresh foil to grains and salads, working especially well when matched with other strong flavors like bitter greens or tangy citrus. In this recipe they team up with healthy wheat berries and a mix of peppery, sharp greens. A shower of chervil adds a complementary anise note to this wintry salad.

Mixed Greens and Beet Salad with Wheat Berries and Goat Cheese

Don’t discard the pan juices from the roasted beets in olive oil. Once cool it makes a lovely dressing for the beets. Serves 4.

4 medium golden (or red) beets, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
6 cups mixed greens, such as arugula, chicory, mizuna, red oak lettuce
1/3 cup cooked wheat berries (or farro)
1/2 cup fresh chervil sprigs
3 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese
1/2 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper

Roast the beets:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim ends of beets and scrub clean; throughly dry. Place beets in an oven-proof rimmed pan or pot with a lid. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. Cover pot with lid or aluminum foil. Bake until beets are tender but not too soft, 50 minutes – 1 hour. Remove from oven. Transfer beets to a cutting board and cool. Reserve cooking liquid in pot. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel away skins. Slice 1/4 inch thick and place in a bowl. Whisk 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt into reserved beet juice. Drizzle the beet juice over the beets and gently toss to coat.

Assemble salad:
Arrange greens on a serving plate. Sprinkle wheat berries over the greens and arrange beets over the salad. Scatter with chervil and sprinkle goat cheese over the salad. Drizzle any remaining beet juice over the greens. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the salad, to taste. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

19 thoughts on “Mixed Greens with Roasted Beets, Wheat Berries and Goat Cheese”

  1. Great minds think alike – stay tuned for my chicken borscht later this week…What is it about roasted beets that makes me want to eat them right out of the pan? Love your choice of golden beets!

  3. Wonderful recipe! As you, I grew up hating beets, and now try to compensate, but it’s not always that easy, being married to an anti-beet guy 😉

    I rarely buy the yellow beets, they are hard to find here…

    1. I became hooked on the golden beets when I decided to give beets a go. The golden ones have a mellower, nuttier flavor than the red ones – great for beginners! – Lynda

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  4. I keep hoping that I’ll become a convert. I really want to like them they are so pretty and so good for you. I still shudder though. 😉

  6. I do not know what wheat berries are but i LOVE beets, esp the red ones , i know they are common but they are just so RED! We grow piles of them every year.. c

  7. Mine is a mixed marriage. My husband holds up his index fingers in the sign of a cross when he even sees them sitting innocently on a table at the Farmer’s Market; I, on the other hand, love them in all their colors, shapes and sizes, and will be trying this salad soon!

  8. I adore the taste of beets with goats cheese, Lynda, it’s a perfect pairing. What a lovely salad and the golden beets are beautiful.

  9. I Love-Love-Love salads with grains and greens, and your beautiful beets put this one over the top. Think I’ll cook up some wheat berries in my new pressure cooker to try this great dish.

  11. Love, love roasted beets. Great pair with goat cheese. The salad looks delicious. Great idea to use the pressure cooker, oui chef! I had not thought of that and am constantly astounded at how long it takes a beet to cook!

  13. What a vibrant looking salad! Beets and goat cheese together is always a winner with me, and I like your addition of wheat berries.

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  17. This was so delicious, Linda! The lemon was fresh and lovely with the other ingredients. Thanks for a great recipe.

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