Sorrel and Beet Salad

Makes 4 first-course/small servings

Ingredients:

1. Wrap the beets in two layers of foil and roast at 400º until tender, about one hour. Let rest until just cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing: To a bowl or a blender, add the vinegar, pink peppercorns, shallots, and a large pinch of kosher salt. Whisking or with the blender on, add the olive oil in a thin steady stream and whisk/blend until emulsified.
3. Unwrap the beets, peel off the skin and discard. Cut into ¼" circular slices, discarding bottoms. Toss with the dressing and let stand for a few minutes, adding salt if necessary.
4. In a separate bowl, toss the sorrel with enough hazelnut oil to well coat.
5. To plate: Form a bed of sorrel and mound the beets on top. Add a few small chunks of goat cheese and a sprinkling of finishing salt (if using).
6. This salad is nice with the beets served warm, but it can also be made ahead and served cold.   

*You can pick the pink peppercorns out of a "gourmet" peppercorn mix, which is widely available. Sometimes the pink shell comes off, but you can identify the pink ones by their light brown interior and softness. 
**The nutty, earthy hazelnut oil is a great compliment to the lemony, tart sorrel. But if you don't want to fork out for a whole bottle, you could use a mild oil mixed with crushed hazelnuts.

-Courtney Sproule, din din

Featured Vendor: Alsea Acre Alpines

Alsea Acre specialty cheeses are produced on a small goat dairy located in an isolated valley of Oregon's Coast Range where mild winters and cool summers are ideal for the production of European style cheeses. Definitely not "mega-goat industries", this small herd of French and American Alpine dairy goats is lovingly cared for by artisan cheese maker, Nancy Chandler, a former Marketing Manager for a high-tech firm, who quit the rat race and "bought the farm", and her partner, David Lygren, who is a printer by trade.

Fifteen years ago Chandler's son, Daniel, started a 4-H project with two doe kids, Rhyme and Reason. As Chandler's herd grew, so did the idea of starting a dairy and making cheese. About five years ago, David joined her on the farm, taking over much of the care of the herd, allowing Nancy to concentrate on cheesemaking. As the entire operation continues to grow it remains a family affair.

Passing out thousands of samples at farmers' markets, Chandler is greeted with wildly enthusiastic responses and a burgeoning demand for Plain, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Basil/Roasted Hazelnut flavors of her smooth, creamy Fromage Blanc. Chandler has also innovated by aging some of her fetas in kalamata olive brine and marinating her fresh chevre in extra virgin olive oil, generously adorned with greek olives, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, pine nuts, roasted garlic, rosemary, basil and black pepper. One devoted HFM purchaser of this gourmet delight dubbed it "PARTY IN A JAR!!" and the word has spread.