Beet salad with fresh avocado, oranges and orange-champagne vinegar is a simple, easy to prepare salad that can be made in less than an hour, making it ideal for quick weekday lunches or dinner parties where time is of the essence. Serve this complex, rich salad with a loaf of hot freshly baked bread with rosemary butter and a glass of chilled, dry white wine or Pilsner style beer. This salad also makes a great side dish for Moroccan chicken dishes or baked salmon.
Instructions
1. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the orange juice and 1 tsp. champagne vinegar. Simmer over low heat for 7 to 8 minutes or until is has thickened and reduced by about half.
2. Put the chopped shallots in a small bowl and pour the orange vinaigrette from the saucepan over the shallots. Whisk in the remaining extra virgin olive oil and champagne vinegar. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and set aside.
3. Toss the beets with about 1 tbsp. of the vinaigrette and shallot mixture in a large mixing bowl and season with sea salt and black pepper again. Add the orange sections and Belgian endive and toss with the rest of the vinaigrette. Cover with plastic wrap and let the flavors mix for 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. Remove the salad from the refrigerator and place it on a large serving platter with slotted spoons. Scatter the avocado slices over the top of the salad and pour any remaining vinaigrette from the mixing bowl over the entire salad. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
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