-Roasted Beet Napoleon with Cotija Cheese and Micro-Greens

Suggested Wine Pairing: Ceja Vino de Casa Red

During the winter there is something special about putting a dish in the oven and letting it be while staying warm inside. The aroma of beets roasting brings a sense of comfort to my heart and enjoying a simple yet breathtaking dish is even better with friends and family.

Ingredients:

• 4 Beets (any color you would prefer - have fun and mix the different beets for a burst of color)
• Cotija Cheese (as needed)
• 1/8 cup of Balsamic Vinegar
• Beet Juice (reserved from the roasting process)
• Package of Micro-greens
• Toasted Slivered Almonds
• Olive oil
• White Pepper and Salt (as needed)
• Cayenne Pepper (as needed)
• 4 medium pieces of Tin Foil

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the beet's stem and base off and place each beet on a separate piece of tin foil. Drizzle a bit of olive oil, salt, white pepper and cayenne on each beet and wrap with foil. When all the beets are wrapped place them in a pan or sheet tray and roast in the oven until beet is cooked through. In order to know when the beets are done slide a toothpick into the center. If there is no resistance the beet is done (45 minutes to 1 hour).

When the beets are cooled, unwrap and reserve the natural beet juice in a bowl. Mix the beet juice and balsamic vinegar together with a slash of white pepper and salt to taste. This will be the fabulous dressing for our beet napoleon. Take a rag or paper towel and rub the beets to remove the unwanted skin. Slice each beet width wise (4-5 slices per beet) and thinly slice the cheese. We are now ready to assemble this beautiful dish.

To assemble, place a beet slice on a clean surface and top with a slice of cotija cheese (this cheese does crumble so be delicate – don’t worry as art is never perfect though!). Follow this step until you have 4 layers of beets and cheese. Serve as is or cut it into a square for looks. Place micro-greens on top, drizzle balsamic dressing and toasted almonds around the plate and enjoy! (serves 4)

Chef’s Tip:
The flavors to this dish are outstanding and with Ceja’s Vino de Casa Red Blend they only get better. If you do not have time to assemble the beet like described, just cut the beet into bite size squares and mix the greens, dressing and almonds together for a fabulous quick and easy salad. The flavors will blow you away!