ROASTED BEET AND ORANGE SALAD

Steps:

• Beet Salad Steps Line each salad plate with baby greens. There is no need to dress the greens, as the salad topping provides plenty of oily goodness. Cube the roasted beets and place in a mixing bowl. Peel the orange(s), separate the segments and cut the segments into bite-sized pieces. Place the orange pieces in the bowl with the cubed beets. Mix up the dressing in a small bowl. Use the finest extra virgin olive oil and Dijon mustard you can manage. Depending on how many people you are serving, you may want to double or triple the ingredients. What is listed above serves two substantially. Pour the dressing over the beets and orange pieces. Mix everything gently. You want each piece to be coated with dressing but without bruising the beets and fruit. The beet juice will color the dressing and the dressing will color the oranges. It may be worth making this salad just to watch the color show. Divide the beet/orange mixture among the salad plates. Generously garnish each salad with the fresh fennel and chive combination. Both of these herbs provide a critical piece of the final flavor experience, so don't be skimpy. Sprinkle on the toasted nuts. The added crunch of the nuts is a fine finish for this otherwise soft salad. Toasted walnuts or pecans are recommended for their crunch value. If you are a nut lover, toss on an extra serving. The extra nuts will do no harm to the finished salad.