Beet Salad with Stilton Cheese and Walnuts
- 1/3 cup walnut halves
- 2 lbs. red and/or yellow beets
- 6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups loosely packed watercress or leaf lettuce
- 3 ounces Stilton, gorgonzola, or bleu cheese, crumbled
Preheat oven to 375F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until lightly brown, about 6 minutes. Remove and cool.Rinse beets in cold water and trim away all but 1/2 inch of the stem. Put the beets in a shallow baking dish and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Roll the beets to coat them and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil and bake until the beets are tender, about an hour. Cool the beets, slip off the skins, and cut into bite-size pieces.Whisk together 4 Tbsp. olive oil and vinegar, and drizzle about 3/4 of it over the beets. Let cool completely.Toss the greens with the remaining vinaigrette, add the beets and toss again, and spread the cheese and walnuts evenly over the top.
