Arugula & Beet Salad with Herbed Ricotta is a beautiful combination of textures guaranteed to please any palate.
Green is looking really good to me. Not only is it feeling right as a fashion color, but I find myself gravitating towards green in food. I suppose I am searching for signs of spring, growth and renewal. Keith and I braved the cold and walked down to the farmer’s market last weekend, hoping against hope to find something colorful that might lift our spirits. What we found was bread, cheese and root vegetables. So back to the produce aisle we went. Keith was kind enough to indulge my cravings by creating a delicious Arugula & Beet Salad, made with beautifully colored produce that was grown somewhere other than the east coast.
This is no ordinary arugula salad. Keith served in on a bed of ricotta cheese, which he blended with fresh herbs. This simple addition to a colorful plate of greens instantly attracted me to this dish (as cheese has a way of doing); I was hooked. I love the way he presented this plate, separating the colors and topping it with roasted walnuts and a sprinkle of shaved parmesan. But it was the taste that made me a very happy girl. A new salad is just what I needed to break free from the winter doldrums.
Today, as we watch the snow from Winter Storm Stella melt away, we optimistically begin to count the days until spring, hoping to pack those rubber boots away for the season. And I continue to indulge in a lunch of Arugula & Beet Salad, dreaming of the summer months when I can make it with fresh greens grown right here in New York.
- ½ C ricotta cheese
- 3 C fresh arugula
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 4 ounces beets
- ¼ C olive oil
- 2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- ¼ chopped walnuts
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese
- In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, rosemary, pepper and garlic.
- In a separate bowl, combine arugula with oil and vinegar
- Divide ricotta mixture and spread evenly on two different plates.
- Divide arugula and place on top of cheese mix.
- Julienne beets and place on side of salad. Top with fresh shaved parmesan and chopped walnuts
[…] is no ordinary arugula salad. Keith served in on a bed of ricotta cheese, which he blended with fresh herbs. This simple […]