67 CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK
Salt-Roasted Beet
and Arugula Salad
MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS
Salt-roasting preserves the vibrant
color of the beets without making
them too salty.
3 cups rock salt, divided
8 medium red beets, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black
pepper
2 (5-ounce) bags fresh baby
arugula
½ cup toasted walnuts,
chopped
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
Garnish: ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, place
2 cups rock salt in an even layer. In
a large bowl, toss together beets
and vegetable oil until coated. Place
in skillet, pushing into salt; cover
with remaining 1 cup rock salt. Bake
until fork-tender, about 1½ hours.
Let cool for 15 minutes. Peel, and
cut into wedges. Let cool to room
temperature. - In a small bowl, whisk together
vinegar, olive oil, mustard, kosher
salt, and pepper until combined.
Pour over cooled beets, tossing
to coat. - In a large bowl, toss together
arugula, walnuts, and goat cheese.
Using a slotted spoon, remove
beets from dressing, and add
to salad. Drizzle with leftover
dressing. Garnish with pepper,
if desired. Serve immediately.
Sausage and Bacon
Mushroom Dressing
MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS
This bacon-studded dressing is so
good it could be a meal by itself.
8 slices thick-cut bacon,
cut into ½-inch pieces
2 (8-ounce) packages fresh
cremini mushrooms,
quartered
8 ounces ground pork sausage
1 cup sliced shallot
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped celery
10 cups cubed day-old cornbread
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped fresh
thyme, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
rosemary
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Garnish: fresh thyme
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet,
cook bacon over medium heat
until crisp. Remove bacon using
a slotted spoon, and let drain on
paper towels, reserving drippings
in skillet. - Increase heat to medium-high.
Add mushrooms; cook, stirring
occasionally, until browned, 3 to
4 minutes. Remove from skillet.
Add sausage; cook, stirring
frequently, until browned and
crumbly. Add shallot, onion, and
celery; cook, stirring occasionally,
until tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. - In a large bowl, stir together
sausage mixture, cornbread, broth,
eggs, thyme, rosemary, pepper,
salt, mushrooms, and half of
bacon. Spoon into same skillet.
Top with remaining bacon. - Bake until lightly browned,
about 30 minutes. Garnish with
thyme, if desired.