Little Gem Lettuce with Roasted Beets and Feta Dressing

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“Traditional Moroccan dishes can be quite heavy; I'm always looking for ways to make them lighter and brighter,” says cooking school teacher Tara Stevens. She tosses her beet salad with lettuce and tangy feta-yogurt dressing, and adds lots of fresh herbs. Slideshow:  More Beet Recipes 

Little Gem Lettuce with Roasted Beets and Feta Dressing
This Moroccan-inspired dish features a zesty feta-yogurt dressing. Photo: © Con Poulos
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Yield:
4 to 6
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

  • 4 beets (2 pounds), peeled and cut into wedges

  • 2 medium red onions, cut into wedges

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoon honey

  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

  • 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • Pepper

  • 2 heads of Little Gem or baby romaine lettuce (10 ounces)

  • Chopped cilantro and mint, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a small skillet, toast the cumin seeds over low heat until fragrant, 2 minutes; let cool.

  2. In a mortar, coarsely grind the cumin seeds with the salt. Transfer to a bowl and add the beets, onions and olive oil; toss to coat. Scrape the vegetables onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until tender. Let cool to room temperature.

  3. In a bowl, whisk the lemon juice and honey. In another bowl, mix the feta, yogurt and lemon zest so it remains a bit chunky. Season with pepper.

  4. Arrange the lettuce on plates. Top with the beets and onions and drizzle the lemon honey on top. Dollop the feta dressing on the salad; season with pepper. Garnish with cilantro and mint and serve.

Make Ahead

The roasted beets can be refrigerated overnight.

Originally appeared: March 2015

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