Endive, Beet & Red-Onion Salad

A French bistro salad with gorgeous color and bold contrasts. Earthy boiled beets, crisp bitter Belgian endive, and sharp sliced red onion tossed in a Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar vinaigrette with fresh parsley.

Boiling the beets until tender and letting them cool before peeling is the classic technique. The skins slip right off cooled beets with just finger pressure. Sliced into rounds, they stain everything they touch a deep ruby red, which gives this salad its striking appearance.

Soaking the cut endive in cold water removes some of its bitterness and keeps it crisp. Pat it completely dry before tossing or the water dilutes the dressing. The Dijon vinaigrette gets whisked right in the salad bowl: mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper first, then oil streamed in while whisking to emulsify.

Kitchen Tips

• Add the beets last when tossing, or they’ll turn the endive pink before serving. Some people love the color, others prefer distinct layers.
• Use a wire whisk for the dressing. A fork won’t emulsify the mustard and oil properly.
• The beet cooking time varies with size. Small beets may take 20 minutes, large ones up to 45. Test with a knife.

Variations

• Add crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese for a creamy, tangy contrast.
• Swap red wine vinegar for balsamic for a sweeter, more mellow dressing.
• Toss in toasted walnuts or candied pecans for crunch.