Roasted Beet and Burst Tomato Salad with Edamame

Here's a good transition dish when it's still winter but you want it to be summer. Roasted beets and cherry tomatoes bridge the gap, beets with their royal coats and tooth-warming bite, and the mini tomatoes, sweet bursts of summer-to-come. They're accompanied by a wholesome, but interesting assortment of veggies: cabbage, edamame, and tart, juicy lettuce leaf. Bringing it all together is a red wine vinegar and orange vinaigrette. Orange juice tones down the acidity, offering another nod to the sunshine that lies ahead. I've become rather fond of edamame, alone and in salads. A quick boil softens the beans into smooth, satisfying bites that pair well with the lettuce and bright dressing. 

Roasted Beet and Burst Tomato Salad with Edamame

Ingredients:

For salad:

1 box cherry tomatoes

2 beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices.

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 head red leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces

1/2 head romain lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces

1/2 head red cabbage, roughly chopped

1 cup edamame beans, (beans should be cooked and de-shelled according to package)

For Vinaigrette (from Fine Cooking): 

1/2 cup olive oil

3 TBSP red wine vinegar

1 TBSP honey

juice of 1/2 orange

zest of one orange

1-2 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

--Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss tomatoes and beets with the oil, salt, and pepper, and place in a single layer in a lined baking pan. Cook for 20 minutes or until beets are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool.

--Make dressing while the vegetables cool. Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients. Taste and add more orange juice or mustard as necessary to balance out sweetness. 

--Toss together lettuces, cabbage, and edamame in a large bowl. Spoon roasted vegetables on top. Serve with vinaigrette.