Kosher Salt Recipes

Salt-Roasted Beets with Avocado, Mixed Lettuces and Citrus Vinaigrette

  • Cooking Time: 1.5 hours
  • Preparation Time: 30 minutes
  • Serves: 4
  • Difficulty: Medium

This may seem like an excessive way to roast a simple beet, but the salt imparts an incredible seasoning to the beets. Absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Morton kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 medium red or golden beets (or a mixture), trimmed and scrubbed (1 to 1 1/4 lbs total weight once trimmed)
  • 1 ripe but semi-firm avocado
  • 4 cups mixed lettuces
  • 1/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot (for vinaigrette)
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice (for vinaigrette)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (for vinaigrette)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (for vinaigrette)
  • Morton kosher salt (for vinaigrette)
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (for vinaigrette)

MORTON®
COARSE KOSHER SALT

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the Kosher Salt. 

  3. Stir together the salt, thyme, egg whites, and water until well combined. The mixture will feel like wet sand.

  4. In an 8-inch square baking pan, spread 1/3 of the salt mixture into an even layer.

  5. Place the 4 beets on top of the salt mixture, spacing them evenly apart. 

  6. Scoop up portions of the salt mixture and pack it over the top and down the sides of the beets, creating a crust and completely covering all of the beets.

  7. Bake until the beets are tender when tested with a small, sharp knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

  8. Remove the beets from the oven and crack the salt crust by using a kitchen knife and a mallet: position the tip of the knife around the sides of the beets and carefully hammer the end of the knife so that it chisels away at the salt crust.

  9. Carefully pull out the beets and set aside until cool enough to handle, but still quite warm (the beets are easier to peel when warm). Peel the beets, then cut them into thin wedges.

  10. To make the vinaigrette, in a bowl whisk together the shallot, orange and lemon juices, and vinegar. Season with a pinch of kosher salt, slowly add the oil, while whisking. 

  11. In a salad bowl, gently toss together the lettuces and a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

  12. Top with the beet wedges and avocado and a drizzle of the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the goat cheese, if using. Serve, passing additional vinaigrette at the table.