By Michelle Imbert
CSMS Magazine Staff Writer
Jeremy Silansky, chef cuisine at American Flatbread in Waitsfield lives and works in Vermont where she is able to get local watercress year-round from a friend who cultivates the spicy winter green in a pond behind her house. Silansky pairs watercress with the classic combination of sweet roasted beets and tangy goat cheese, which he buys from Vermont Butter & Cheese Company. The recipe that follows is a classic way to make watercress salad with beets and roasted-garlic.
¾ pound medium red and golden beets
1 head of garlic
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
½ tablespoon of honey
Eight 1/2 –inch-thick baguette slices
½ pound watercress, large stems trimmed
½ cup peeled and diced celery root
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Preheat the oven 350 degree. Place the beets in a small baking dish and cover it with foil. Cut off the top third of the head of garlic and set it on a sheet of foil. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil and wrap it in the foil. Bake the beets and garlic until tender, about 1 hour.
Peel the beets and cut into wedges. Squeeze the garlic cloves into a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, whisk the shallot, orange and lemon juices and vinegar. Stir in the honey until dissolved. Whisk in the remaining ¼ cup of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
