Spicy Greens Salad with Figs, Beets and Gorgonzola Recipe

Spicy Greens Salad with Figs, Beets and Gorgonzola

Serves 4

To toast and peel the hazelnuts for this recipe, preheat the oven to 400F. Spread the hazelnuts on a cake pan. Toast the nuts for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the skins crack. Remove them from the oven, and cool for about 10 minutes. Rub the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel to loosen the skins. Pick the nuts out of the towel, and discard the bits of skin.

Spicy Greens Salad

4 medium-sized beets, tops trimmed off
6 cups mixed arugula, baby spinach and shredded radicchio, washed and dried
4 fresh figs, stems trimmed, quartered lengthwise
30 chopped, toasted hazelnuts

Vinaigrette

2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. hazelnut oil
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. orange juice
1 Tbs. brown sugar
½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Wrap the beets in foil, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very tender when poked with a skewer or thin paring knife. Remove from the oven, let beets cool and slip off the skins with a paring knife. Dice the beets, and set them aside.
To make the Vinaigrette: Put all the vinaigrette ingredients into a blender, and purée until smooth.
To assemble the Spicy Greens Salad: In a large bowl, toss the beets and greens with the vinaigrette. Divide the salad equally among 4 plates. Top with the figs, sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.