Fennel Salad with Vinegared Beets, Ground Cherries & Toum

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 2

Cut the tops off of each beet and wrap them individually in aluminum foil. Add them to the center rack of the oven and roast for 35-45 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Step 3

While the beets are roasting, prepare the toum.

Step 4

Add the garlic cloves to a food processor. Pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the salt and the lemon juice and food process until the garlic begins to form a paste.

Step 5

While the food processor is running, stream in the oil a few tablespoons at a time. The mixture will begin to look whipped, smooth and fluffy. After two cups of oil have been added, taste the toum and add more salt and lemon juice as needed. It will still taste a bit sharp, but that mellows with time. Continue to stream in the remaining oil until you have a white, fluffy, nearly smooth garlic spread. Taste and season.

Step 6

Set the toum aside, knowing the bite of the garlic will mellow a bit as it sits.

Step 7

Next, use a mandolin to thinly slice the fennel bulb, shaving the pieces as thinly as possible. Remove the stalks and slice them thinly on a diagonal, using either a sharp knife or the mandolin. Add both these cuts to a large bowl.

Step 8

Roughly chop the ground cherries until they are almost a paste.

Step 9

When the beets are out of the oven, gently peel off the skin and slice them into wedges. Add the wedges to a medium bowl and season with the white wine vinegar and a few pinches of salt. Mix, taste, and add more vinegar as preferred.

Step 10

Mix together the fennel, ground cherries, and season with a drizzle of olive oil. Mix to combine, then add the vinegared beets and the cooked barley. Give this a few big tosses to combine. Season with a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste, and if needed, squeeze over some fresh lemon juice.

Step 11

To serve, add a swipe of toum to each serving bowl and wipe it around the sides of the bowl. Pile the salad directly in the middle. Serve immediately!