Green Apple and Beet Salad

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Trim greens from beets and set aside. Set scrubbed beets in a baking dish, fill with water to a 1/2-inch depth, cover tightly with foil, and bake for one hour, or until beets are very easily pierced with a fork. Carefully remove foil (steam plume will be very hot), and set aside to cool. While beets cook, slice shallot in half.
2. 2
   Cut one of the halves into paper thin slices; mince the other half. Reserve sliced shallot for beets. To make vinaigrette, toss minced shallot with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, Dijon, and a generous pinch of sea salt.
3. 3
   Whisk in honey and 6 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.In a small bowl, toss chèvre crumbles with 2 tablespoons minced parsley.When beets are cool enough to handle, slice tops off and use fingertips to remove peel under cold running water. Slice beets into 3/4-inch thick wedges. In a small mixing bowl, toss warm beets with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, sliced shallot, a generous pinch sea salt, and several twists of fresh ground pepper. Set in fridge 20 minutes.Tear reserved beet greens into bite-sized pieces. If stems are too fibrous, discard. Toss beet greens with spinach in a big salad bowl.
4. 4
   Drizzle with prepared vinaigrette and add sea salt to taste.
5. 5
   Layer in apples and goat cheese. Just before serving, drain marinating liquid from beets.
6. 6
   Layer beets on top of the salad, drizzle with a bit more vinaigrette, add a few twists of pepper, and garnish with orange slices and remaining two tablespoons parsley.
7. 7
   Serve right away.