Beet And Goat Cheese Napoleons Recipes

BEET AND GOAT CHEESE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Using a round cookie cutter (size will depend on size of beets), cut out as many rounds as you can. In a medium-size skillet, bring rice vinegar and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add beet slices in batches that you can manage, cook beet slices, turning once, about 2 minutes. Transfer slices to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry and let chill. The left over scraps can be cooked up the same way to be used later in a salad.
• Stir goat cheese together with the chives, parsley, 2 teaspoons thyme, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
• Bring orange juice to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 4-5 minutes. Be careful to watch this part closely. I burned the first batch, and it didn't taste yummy. Let cool. Transfer juice to a bowl along with remaining thyme, balsamic vinegar, zest, and shallots. While whisking, drizzle in olive oil and hazelnut oil; whisk until smooth. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper; let chill.
• To serve: Put 1 beet slice on work surface; spread about 1 tsp to 1 tablespoons cheese mixture over beet depending on the size of your rounds. Top cheese with another beet slice, pressing down so cheese oozes to edge. Repeat to create a stack with 3 to 4 layers of cheese between 4 to 5 beet slices. Make as many stacks as you can with the slices you have. I ended up with 9 stacks because the beets I had were pretty small. Slice each stack into 4 wedges if large, or in half if they are small. Place salad greens on small plates and divide beets among them. Drizzle vinaigrette over each plate; garnish with nuts.
• I had extra goat cheese left over, which I used to top some pasta a couple of days later -- yum.

NAPOLEON OF BEETS AND HERB GOAT CHEESE WITH GRILLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Cook beets in salted boiling water until tender, cool in refrigerator, and peel off skin. Soften goat cheese at room temperature, add in herbs, salt and pepper, and garlic; mix well and place in pastry bag. Slice beets into 1/8-inch thick on mandolin and place on plate, pipe goat cheese in between each layer of beets, repeat beet, goat, and top with beet. Garnish plate with asparagus that has been blanched, shocked, and grilled with olive oil. Top with red pepper, tomato, and drizzle with truffle oil.

ROASTED BEET NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the beets in a small roasting pan and pour in enough cold water to reach about 1/4 of the way up the sides of the beets. Cover the pan with foil, and roast the beets until they are tender, 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes. To check for doneness, gently insert a bamboo skewer into a beet. The skewer should slide through easily. Remove the beets from the pan, allow to cool, and then peel. Cut each beet into 1/4-inch-thick round slices. Cut each slice with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. (You will need 10 rounds). Cut trimmings into 1/4-inch dice and reserve 1/2 cup for garnish. In a saute pan, bring vinegar and sugar to a boil. Lower to a simmer and poach beets 1 minute on each side. With a slotted spatula, remove and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate until needed. When ready to assemble, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan. Arrange the slices of Herbed Goat Cheese in the pan and warm slightly, turning them with a small spatula just to warm both sides. This has to be done quickly, or the cheese will melt. To assemble the napoleons, place 1 of the beet rounds on a firm, flat surface and begin to layer. Top with a slice of goat cheese, then another beet round, a second slice of cheese, another beet round, a third slice of cheese, and a beet round. (Continue until you have 5 layers of beets and 4 layers of cheese.) Carefully cut through layers, dividing into 3 wedges. Repeat with the remaining beets and cheese. To serve, arrange 3 of the wedges, pointed ends facing out, in a circle in the center of each plate. Toss the baby lettuces with the Spago House Dressing and mound half of the lettuces on top of each arranged napoleon. Drizzle 1/2 of the Citrus Hazelnut Vinaigrette around each mound. Sprinkle toasted nuts and reserved diced beets on top of drizzled vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
• Combine the parsley, chives, thyme, and pepper and place on a flat surface. Roll the log of cheese in the mixture, coating all sides and retaining the shape of the log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots and the mustard. Whisk in the vinegars and then the olive and vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed.
• In a medium saucepan, bring orange juice to a boil. Lower to a simmer and reduce until only 1/3 cup remains. Cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, shallot, thyme, vinegar and orange zest. Slowly whisk in both oils until thick and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the hazelnuts on a medium baking tray and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, turning after 5 minutes. (This can be done in a toaster oven). Remove to a clean towel and rub to remove as much of the skin as possible. Chop coarsely and use when needed.