Valentine’s Salad

I used a small bunch of multi-colored beets, which when marinated, came out different shades of deep red and pink. You could also use one medium red beet instead.

4 baby beets, greens removed

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons really good extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

½ medium fennel bulb

2 blood segments removed

3 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

3 to 4 tablespoons crumbled goat milk feta

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Place baby beets in a pot and cover with at least an inch of filtered water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until beets are tender (or longer depending on size of beet). Remove from heat and drain. Slip off their skins and trim top end. Cut in half, thinly slice and place in a bowl. Drizzle with cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, add a pinch of salt and toss to combine. Set beets aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Cut the fennel in half (so you have two quarters) remove core and shave using a mandolin or slice very thin with a knife. Place fennel into bowl with beets and toss to combine.

Cut each end off the oranges and place cut side down on a cutting board. Remove remaining skin by following the curve of the orange with a knife. Once all the skin and pith has been removed cut out each segment, leaving just the membrane. Squeeze any juice from the membrane into the marinating beets and fennel, toss well and add the orange segments.

Rinse radicchio, remove leaves and tear into pieces. Arrange onto two plates and top each plate with beet, fennel and orange mixture. Sprinkle with feta and hazelnuts. Drizzle each salad with a teaspoon of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Serves 2.