Ingredients:
4 medium beets
2 medium pears (Bartlett or Bosc are best)
2 -3 tbsp good quality olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1) Wash, peel and grate beets. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet then add beets. Stir well to coat thoroughly with the oil. Sauté over medium heat, stirring often, until beets are tender, about 15 minutes. Drizzle with Balsamic and add salt & pepper to taste. If assembling salad later, put beets in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and refrigerate.
2) Just before serving, peel pears, cut in half and remove core, then cut into slices (you should get about 12 slices per pear). In a clean skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté pear slices, turning gently one time, until tender (about 5 minutes).
3) While pears are sautéing, reheat beets in the microwave until just warm. Divide grated beets among 4 salad plates, making a round of beets in the centre of each plate. Fan pear slices out over the beets, then top with goat cheese and walnuts. For an extra flourish, consider adding just a sprinkle of truffle oil or truffle salt to really make this salad sing.
