BEET AND APPLE NAPOLEON WITH ORANGE GINGER VINAIGRETTE

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Active time: 45 min

Total time: 2 hr

Ingredients:

6 oz. Fresh Goat Cheese
3 trimmed medium red beets (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter)

2 Apples (Fuji or Granny Smith)

Wild Arugula or Baby Arugula

Cookie cutter (2 inch)

Photo: John Kernick

Preparation:

Steam beet for approx. 1/2 hour or until tender in the center. You can also wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Let stand until cool enough to handle and peel, then slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cool completely.

Cut Apple into 1/4-inch-thick slices, remove the center with the piths.  Drizzle a bit of lemon juice over the apple slices, so they do not get brown. Cut out 18 rounds from slices using cookie cutter.

To assemble napoleons, put 1 apple round, 1 beet round, goat cheese, repeat these 3 layers, top with 1 apple slice and finish with beet slice, on each of 6 plates and top with an arugula leaf.

Toss greens with some of vinaigrette and place around each napoleon. 

Optional: Finely grate apple (including skin) into a bowl. Spoon a heaping teaspoon apple on top of each napoleon, then sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle with more vinaigrette if desired.

Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup fresh orange or grapefruit juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice

1/4 cup grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon honey

3 tablespoon (or to your liking) extra virgin olive oil 

for a different taste 1/2 a grated apple can be added

salt and fresh ground pepper

Preparation:

Blend all ingredients a few hours ahead and refrigerate. Strain before mixing with the Salad.

Tarragon leaves in between layers is also very nice taste wise and the apple can be substituted with Anjou or Asian pear.