Co.'s Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula and Pepitas

Ever since last weekend I have been thinking about attempting to make Co.'s beet salad at home.  I just thought that the combination of the peppery arugula, salty crunchy pepitas, scallions and sweet roasted beets was genius.  I'm not sure what kind of vinaigrette Co. used on the salad, but I thought that a bright lemony vinaigrette with some parsley would be the perfect complement.  So I threw the beets in the oven, ran to the grocery store to pick up more ingredients for my Zucchini Souffle, and made my version of the Co. beet salad.  And I thought that in terms of flavors, I really nailed it.  No, it doesn't replicate the salad from Co. exactly, but that wasn't what I was trying to do.  I just wanted to put something together that would be a nice addition to our salad repertoire - bright, fresh, healthy and delicious.  And I accomplished that.  I wish I had roasted the beets just a few minutes longer - ours were a little on the al dente side, but that was my bad.  I think that if the beets had been properly roasted they would have added a little extra sweetness to the salad that would have made the salad even more delicious.

Recipe after the jump!

Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula and Pepitas

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch beets, cleaned and trimmed (only 1/2-inch of stem should remain)

1 tsp evoo

s&p

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp champagne vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp shallots, very finely minced

3 cups baby arugula

3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the bias

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup roasted, salted pepitas

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Toss beets in a mixing bowl with evoo and s&p.  Place butter in the middle of a large sheet of aluminum foil.  Add beets and wrap foil around the beets to create a little package.  Wrap a second sheet of aluminum foil around the beets to create a double wrapped foil package.  Roast beets in oven until tender, about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.  Beets are done when a sharp knife pierces them easily.  Remove from oven, open foil to release steam and allow beets to cool.  Do not discard the liquid from the beet package.

While the beets cool, combine champagne vinegar and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl.  Whisk in oil in a slow steam.  Stir in shallots and season with s&p.  Set aside.

Peel beets, and slice into wedges.  Toss with cooking liquid from the foil package.

In a large mixing bowl, combine arugula, scallions, and parsley.  Toss with just enough dressing to moisten the greens.  Add beets and remaining juices and pepitas.  Toss to combine.

Serve.