The Garden & Saucier
Roasted-Veggie Winter Salad with Meyer Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
The Strategy:
Once the villains of veggie world, these sprouts have rebranded themselves and become a trendy restaurant fave. I truly think the sprouts you find in the grocery store are prettier than they used to be. I don’t know how that happened, but it seems to me like this veggie has had a movie-star makeover. I do have a secret when preparing Brussels sprouts: I blanch them first before I roast or sauté. This ensures that the inside is tender, and that’s what you want. No one likes to eat something that is rock hard. Here’s a couple of my favorite recipes that incorporate sprouts.
Ingredients
- For roasted vegetables:
- • 3 whole beets, trimmed
- • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- • 2 tablespoons olive oil
- • 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about ½ cup
- • 6 medium carrots, tops removed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- • 12 new potatoes, cut into fourths
- • 12 Brussels sprouts, cut in half
- • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, about 2 to 3 cups
- For salad:
- • 1 small shallot, peeled and minced, about 2 tablespoons
- • 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- • juice of 1 large Meyer lemon, about ¼ cup
- • ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- • 1 tablespoon honey
- • ½ cup olive oil
- • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- • 6 cups mixed lettuce leaves
- • 2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, about ½ cup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°.
- Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place into the oven. Roast the beets until soft, about 45 minutes.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large baking sheet with rim. Smear the mustard into the bottom of the baking sheet. Add the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the carrots into a microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
- Drain the carrots and arrange on the baking sheet.
- Repeat the same process, microwaving the potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash. We’re giving the veggies a head start for the roasting process.
- Use your hands to coat the veggies with the seasonings in the bottom of the baking sheet. Season with some of the salt and pepper.
- Roast until the vegetables are just beginning to turn golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. You can use a spatula to flip the veggies about halfway through cooking, if you like, but it’s not necessary.
- Remove the beets from the oven and cool to room temperature. Peel the beets and cut into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place the shallots into a small bowl. Add the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Drizzle in the oil, whisking to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the basil.
- Lay the lettuce into a shallow bowl. Pour just enough vinaigrette over the leaves to moisten them. (Don’t drown your lettuce!)
- Place the roasted veggies on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle the cheese over top. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette over the top.
The full recipe lives in the Vault
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The Heart of the Table
During the coldest, darkest months of the year, bringing a spectacularly bright, jewel-toned salad to the table acts as a sudden burst of sunlight. Sharing a dish this deeply nourishing isn't merely about feeding our bodies; it is a profound, edible promise to our friends and family that warmth, vitality, and beautiful days are still abundant when we gather together.
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Serve this in a massive, shallow, rustic ceramic or wooden salad bowl. The sheer volume and vibrant, jewel-toned colors of the roasted vegetables (especially the ruby red beets and vibrant orange butternut squash) create an incredibly dramatic, abundant visual when layered over the crisp greens.
- THE POUR: A rich, aromatic white wine with some body, like a Viognier or an aged Chenin Blanc. You need a wine with enough weight to handle the heavy roasted root vegetables and the pungent Gorgonzola cheese, but enough acidity to balance the bright Meyer lemon vinaigrette.
- THE VIBE: Hearty and elegant. This is the ultimate sophisticated centerpiece for a winter holiday luncheon or a robust first course for a formal dinner party.
