SPA RECIPES: CHIGGOA BEET SALAD

We tried this colourful dish in the main dining room of the grand dame Fairmont San Francisco and loved it. One of the bonuses of this nutritious root vegetable is its sweet taste but few calories. It's a deliciously and vibrant-hued first course for a dinner party or a side dish for brunch.



Recipe by James Pedro, executive chef of The Fairmont San Francisco

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 lb. Red chiggoa beets
1 lb. Yellow chiggoa beets
1 lb. Striped chiggoa beets
l lb. Green beans
1 lb. Fennel bulbs
1 Bay leaf
Splash of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Goat cheese to taste

Seasoning Salt:

2 Tbsp. Sea salt (or Kosher salt would work)
1 Tbsp. Fennel seed
1 Tbsp. White pepper
1 Tbsp. Fresh thyme chopped fine

Lemon Oil:

1/3 Cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. Lemon zest


Preparation


Trim stems and leaves off the beets and rinse well. Put into a saucepan but be sure to put the red beets into a different pan so that all beets do not turn red. Add water to cover beets and add bay leaf, splash of olive oil and salt and pepper. Cover with foil and put it into a 350-degree oven. Cook until beets are fork tender. Strain water and chill beets in the refrigerator. Next peel the beets and split them in half. Remember: do not mix the red beets with the other beets.

Blanch the haricot verts in hot boiling water seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook until soft and shock them in ice water.

Quarter the fennel bulbs and toss them in olive oil and butter. Bake a 350 until tender; chill. Make the seasoning salt, combining the salt, fennel seed, white pepper, and thyme powder. Sprinkle over beet salad to taste.


To assemble salad, mix ingredients for lemon oil, toss the beets, fennel and haricots verts in the oil and sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top.