Let me start by saying that I’m not a beet-lover. At all. I don’t know what came over me when I first started thinking about this salad, but it probably had something to do with it being midwinter in New York, when the most color you get to enjoy is blue sky, if you’re lucky, and trash peeking out of a graying snowbank, if you’re not. Anyway, color: I’ve been hungry for it, and now that berries and herbs are finally coming into season, I can satisfy those cravings.
Beets and poppy seeds are a classic combination, as are beets and sour cream (which I swapped here for buttery creme fraiche), as are strawberries and any sort of cream. And poppy seeds, amusingly crunchy, remind me a bit of strawberry seeds. So, the dressing felt fated: a creamy, lemony poppy seed dressing with enough mustard and shalloty zip to keep things decidedly out of dessert territory.
Beet and Strawberry Salad With Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Serves 4- 1 pound small red beets (about 3 tennis-ball-sized)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 small shallot
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream (see note for vegan option)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, divided
- Small handful fresh soft herb leaves and tender stems, such as parsley, cilantro, dill, fennel fronds, basil, and/or mint
- A few handfuls baby arugula (optional), for serving
Scrub the beets. Place in a 1-quart baking dish or round cake pan and add 1/2 cup water; the beets should be sitting in a shallow puddle. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender and a paring knife slides through easily, about 1 hour. If you start to smell a burning-sugar smell while they roast, carefully peel back the foil, add more water, reseal the foil, and return to the oven. Meanwhile, make the dressing.
Prepare the following, placing in a jar or small bowl as you prepare them: Finely chop the shallot (about 1/4 cup). Finely grate the zest of the lemon, then juice it (about 3 tablespoons juice). Add 1/2 teaspoon of the granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Stir to combine and set aside to macerate for 10 minutes.
Add creme fraiche, extra-virgin olive oil, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, and a few grinds black pepper. Stir to combine.
Trim the stems from the strawberries, then slice crosswise into rounds about 1/3-inch thick. Transfer to a medium bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of the granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon of the white wine vinegar. Stir well to combine.
When the beets are ready, set aside to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to rub the skins off. Trim and halve the beets, then cut into half-moon slices about 1/3-inch thick. Transfer to a second medium bowl, add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar. Stir well to combine.
Let the strawberries and beets sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the strawberries to the bowl with the beets and gently stir to combine.
Recipe Notes
The dressing may be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. The beet-strawberry salad can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container; let come to room temperature before serving.For a vegan option, a plant-based mayonnaise may be used in place of the creme fraiche.
