Baby Spinach Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

Beets used to be the vegetable I skipped at potlucks, mostly because I had only ever known them from a can. Cooking a fresh one changed my mind. Simmered whole and peeled after, they turn soft and sweet with an earthy depth that sits well against the sharp mustard in this dressing. Plenty of cooks still boil them this way, the same method our grandmothers used before roasting got so popular.

Here is one thing worth knowing about beets: the skins slip off far more easily once they have cooled a little. Hold them under cool running water and the peel comes away in your hands, though your fingers will stain pink for a day or so. Wear an old shirt or keep a paper towel nearby. If you find a beet that is woody or split, cut it into wedges anyway. It will still taste fine, just a bit less tender.

Beets also keep well. Cooked whole, unpeeled, and sealed in the fridge, they hold for several days, so you can boil a batch on the weekend and pull them out when you need a quick side. Leftover spinach salad is less forgiving. The leaves wilt within hours once dressed, so I toss only what we will eat that sitting. Undressed beet wedges and the dressing can wait separately in the fridge for the next day, and the goat cheese and pine nuts are best added fresh.

For a fuller meal, this salad sits nicely next to something warm and savory. A pan of Baked Mustard Chicken with Summer Vegetables echoes the Dijon in the dressing, and the sweet beet and tangy goat cheese balance the chicken well. If you want a lighter lunch, a wedge of Puffed Spinach and Mushroom Quiche Cups alongside a bowl of this salad makes a satisfying plate without much fuss.

Pine nuts are small but pricey, so toast them in a dry pan for a couple of minutes, shaking often, until they smell nutty and turn lightly golden. Watch them closely, because they go from golden to dark very quickly. Let them cool on a plate before scattering so they stay crisp on top of the greens.