Salad of Beet and Fennel with Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients

 * 1 Head Baby frisée
 * 12 Each Baby Beets, washed, dried, and greens cut to ¼ inch
 * 3 Each Garlic cloves
 * 12 Each strips Reggiano parmesan cheese, sliced with a potato peeler into long strips
 * 2 Each Oranges, segmented. Reserve ½ of 1 orange rind for roasting the beets. Slice with no pith.
 * 1 Bulb Fennel, sliced paper thin
 * Up to ¾ Cup Peanut oil
 * To Taste Salt and pepper
 * ¼ Cup Orange reduction
 * 2 Tablespoons+ Rice Vinegar

Ingredients for the Orange Reduction


 * ½ Cup Freshly squeezed orange juice
 * ½ Each Thai chili pepper, seeded and de-veined
 * 2 Each Kaffir leaves - the zest of 1 lime may be substituted
 * 1 Tablespoon Ginger, fresh, and chopped
 * 1 Teaspoon Thyme

Directions
Method for the beets

-In a bowl, toss beets, garlic, orange rind, salt and pepper and 1 Tablespoon of peanut oil.

-Pour onto a large sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap the foil into a "package", assuring that air cannot escape.

-Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

-Once cool, peel beets by rubbing the skin off easily. Cut beets in half

Method for the orange reduction

-Add all ingredients except the lime leaves to a saucepot (if using lime zest, add at the beginning with the other ingredients).

-Bring to a simmer and reduce by half. -add lime leaves and allow to steep like tea until cool.

-strain

Method for vinaigrette

-Add salt, pepper and vinegar to the orange reduction and place in a food processor.

-Gradually add (in a small stream) oil into orange mixture while running, allowing it to emulsify. Once it starts to thicken, stop machine and taste-you may not need all of the oil. Less oil will give a light and pungent flavor, while more oil will mellow it a lot.

To assemble

-Gently toss frisée, orange segments, fennel, beets, chives and vinaigrette in a bowl. -Place in the center of the plate, piling high for a dramatic effect.

-Top the salad with the long parmesan strips

-For a special garnish, reserve some more orange rind. Grate it up and dry it. Sprinkle it over the rim line of the plate