Beet + Watermelon Salad

Add a little pink to your greens, courtesy of chef Jayson DeMarco’s beet and watermelon salad. Roasted beets lend rich earthiness while pickled watermelon gives the dish a juicy sweet-tartness—all served up on a bed of bitter greens and topped with creamy crumbled blue cheese and crunchy candied hazelnuts. The final touch? An overnight house-infused basil olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Take care of the roasting, pickling and infusing the night before to have a colorful summer salad at the ready in minutes.

Ingredients

2 yellow/red beets
1/2 small seedless watermelon
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
3 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup basil
4-6 Belgian endive leaves
2 pinches frisee
2 pinches watercress
2 pinches bulls blood micro greens
1/4 cup Maytag blue cheese
2 teaspoons candied hazelnuts, chopped
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roast the beets for 45 minutes, then let cool. Peel, slice and set aside.
Dice the watermelon into 2x6 inch pieces and place it in a pickling container. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and honey and pour over the watermelon. Seal (vacuum seal if possible) and pickle in the fridge overnight, or for at least four hours.
Using a whipping siphon and two carbon dioxide cartridges, infuse the olive oil with the basil. (Or, quick blanch the basil leaves and add them to the olive oil. Let the mixture rest overnight, then blend together and strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer.)
Assemble the greens between two plates and top with sliced radish, diced watermelon, crumbled blue cheese and candied hazelnuts. Drizzle with the infused olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.