Fennel, Beets and Apple Salad

I first tasted beets about 6 years ago. This may come as a little bit of surprise to you for someone who is a foodie. Well, I have seen and known beets for all my life but never touched this root vegetable. It is not welcomed at my parents' home. When I was young, I liked to accompany my mother to a morning market and asked why we never cooked the red-looking vegetable. The response that I always got from her was "You won't like it. It tastes earthy, like mud soil". Hmmphh...so there the story goes.

I then tasted beets when a friend of mine invited me for a dinner and she served beets as a side. Well, I did not want to be rude so I politely took the offer and man, I love this root vegetable! It's sweet, earthy (no, it does not taste like muddy soil) and wish that my mom cooked for us at the early age.Ever since my first experience with beets, I frequently cook beets in the fall and winter time. i like to serve as a side to roasted chicken. It is also good as a salad. So here is my recipe for fennel, beets and apple salad. This salad is perfectly balanced with sweetness from beets, licorice flavour from fennel and tartness from apple and the dressing. 


Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 fennel bulb
• 4 medium sized beets
• 1 apple (can be gala, Granny Smith)

For dressing: 

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp whole grain or dijon mustard 
• 2 tbsp oilive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste

METHOD: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit
2. Place beets in an aluminum foil and wrap around to make a pouch. Bake for about 1 hour or until the beets are fork tender
3. Once beets are cooked, leave to cool. Once cool, rub with the palm of your hands to remove the skin
4. Cut the beets into desired sizes
5. Trim the fennel bulb, quarter, core and thinly slice the bulb crosswise
6. Quarter, core and thinly slice an apple crosswise
7. To make dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk 
8. Combine fennel, beets and apple in a bowl. Toss the salad together with the dressing