cabbage salad with beet purée, speck and pear

insalata di cavolo cappuccio con speck e pere

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

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Ingredients

2 small cooked beets (see note), diced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
Fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
7 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1 large Bosc pear, cut into matchsticks
2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 ounces thinly sliced speck

Instructions

Finely dice 1/2 of 1 beet; set aside diced pieces. Quarter remaining beets and place in a blender; add 1/4 cup oil, water, vinegar, horseradish and 1/2 teaspoon salt; purée until smooth.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add cabbage and pear; gently toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons oil, parsley and pinch salt.

Divide beet purée among 4 plates. Place ring mold in center of 1 plate; gently press 1/4 of the salad into the mold, then lift mold. Repeat with remaining salad (alternatively, mound salad in center of plates). Top salads with speck. Sprinkle plates with reserved diced beet and drizzle with parsley oil.

Note: Look for vacuum-packed pre-cooked beets at large grocery stores. If pre-cooked beets are not available, roast 2 small beets. Beets can be roasted and peeled up to 2 days ahead; keep refrigerated, covered, until ready to use