Roasted Beet & Potato Salad

Ingredients for vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 T minced shallots
1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 sprig of thyme
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 T extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt to taste
large pinch freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Ingredients for salad:
2 medium-size red beets
2 medium-size gold beets
1 pound red or Yukon gold potatoes, creamer or "C" size
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

6 ounces mixed baby salad greens

chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparing the beets and potatoes:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Rinse the beets and shake dry. Wrap each beet loosely in aluminum foil, securing edges well. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beets can be easily pierced with a skewer.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Open the foil packets and peel the beets. The skins should slip off easily when they are fully cooked (to prevent staining, wear gloves). Slice the beets into 1/4-inch rounds. Set aside.

Rinse and dry the potatoes, then cut in half lengthwise. Toss with the oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast until done and the cut sides are browned and crispy. To conserve energy, use the oven while roasting the beets, or increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F for the potatoes to get more crispness and browning.


Preparing the vinaigrette:
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and sweat the shallots. Add the chicken broth and thyme sprig. Simmer until reduced by about half, remove the thyme then add the two vinegars and mustard. Remove from heat and whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.


Assembling the salad:
Toss the salad greens with just enough vinaigrette to coat. Adjust seasonings. Transfer to salad plates. Toss the potatoes with more of the vinaigrette and arrange around the greens. Fan the beets on top, drizzle with more dressing and garnish with optional parsley.

Serves 4 as a salad course