This brightly colored Hawaiian style salad is fresh tasting and healthy, inspired by Merriman’s Restaurant on the Big Island of Hawaii. To make it a main course, add more salad greens and add grilled chicken or shrimp. For dairy-free, skip the cheese. Buy pre-cooked beets or roast your own (takes about 40 minutes, do ahead). Macadamia nuts are a nice add too.
To Roast the Beets (or buy pre-cooked to save time)
4smallred beets
2teaspoonsolive oil
Salt and pepper
Hawaiian Salad
1headcrisp red lettuceor 1 container pre-washed lettuce
12-16sweet grape tomatoeshalved lengthwise
4smallspears fresh pineapplediced
2smallPersian cucumberschopped
1ripe avocadosplit, seeded, quartered then diced
4ouncesgoat cheesecrumbled
Champagne Vinaigrette
6tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoonswhite wine or champagne vinegar
1egg yolkoptional
1smallgarlic clovefinely chopped
1teaspoonfinely chopped shallot optional
2pincessea salt
2 pinches ground black pepper
Instructions
Roast the Beets
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the tops off the beets to about 1 inch. Wash and dry the beets and place on a double piece of heavy foil. Toss the beets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the beets up in the foil and place the packet on the center rack in the oven. Roast until beets are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes depending on the size.
Skin the Beets
Remove beet packet from the oven and cool until you can handle them. With paper towels, rub the skins off of the beets; quarter them and set aside. Wear disposable food handler gloves while working with the beets to prevent staining.
Make the Vinaigrette (Makes extra)
While the beets are roasting, make the vinaigrette. Whisk oil, vinegar, yolk (if using), garlic and shallot together in a small bowl until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. If vinaigrette is made ahead of time, refrigerate until serving due to the raw egg yolk. Re-whisk if needed.
Assemble the Salad
To assemble your salad, divide the greens between plates, add your fruit and vegetable bits, and add the goat cheese. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, about 1 tablespoon per person and serve extra on the side.
Notes
If using a raw egg yolk concerns you, omit it from the vinaigrette, but it does make it nice and creamy. If the egg is fresh and un-cracked, you should have no worries. Dressing with raw yolk is good for 2 days. Another option is use Dijon mustard to emulsify the dressing. Add about 1 teaspoon and whisk well until creamy. The nutrition calculation includes all of the vinaigrette so it is not accurate.