Peanut Butter and Julie

Grilled Eggplant Caponata

Did you know that the eggplant is actually a fruit and not a vegetable?  Did you know that eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, which also includes tobacco, and that it contains very small amounts of nicotine (don't panic--there's not enough present to have any negative effects on the body)?  Did you know that, according to a 5th century Chinese scroll, fashionable Chinese women used to make a dye out of eggplant and polish their teeth with it until they were a shiny gray?  If you said yes to all of these questions.....then you're probably lying, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.  You might want to find something more productive to do with your time however, because nobody should know that much about eggplant.

Rich in both folic acid and potassium, eggplant, also called aubergine in some contries, is the main ingredient in Sicilian caponata, a relish dish that is traditionally made from chopped fried vegetables.  Variations of caponata are found throughout the Mediterranean region, and it can be interpreted to fit individual tastes.  Because I seldom fry anything in my kitchen (although I do have a goal of creating the perfect fried chicken this summer), I opted to prepare a version composed of grilled vegetables that have been brushed with heart-healthy olive oil.  This method gives this dish a nice smoky undertone with the flavors of the vegetables taking center stage.  Capers and olives add saltiness and the balsamic vinegar adds some tang.  Paired with toasted baguette slices, this is the perfect light and healthy entertaining hors d'oeuvre.  Here a just a few more tips for this Mediterranean mezze:

• If you don't have a grill or a grill pan at your disposal, then simply chop the vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large roasting pan, and roast at 400F degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until tender, tossing occasionally. 
• Pitted nicoise olives can be substituted for the kalamata olives.
• The caponata will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2-3 days. 
• The caponata can also be used as a topping for grilled chicken or mild-flavored fish, served alongside pita chips, folded into omelets, or eaten on its own. 

Grilled Eggplant Caponata

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 sweet onions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 large eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch strips

2 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch strips

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Salt and pepper to taste

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

2 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons capers

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

20 fresh basil leaves, julienned

1 whole grain baguette

Preheat a gas grill or grill pan oven medium heat.  Brush the onion, eggplant, and zucchini slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Grill, in batches if necessary, until tender, 3-4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a platter to cool and coarsely chop.

In a deep large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, about 8 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, olives, vinegar, capers, and crushed red pepper.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the zucchini, eggplant, and onion to the tomato mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes.  Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice the baguette at 1/2-inch intervals, brush with olive oil, and grill for a few minutes, until warmed through and browned.  Serve alongside the caponata. 

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Most women will tell you that there is no such thing as having too many pairs of shoes or too many purses.  For me, this concept applies to cookbooks.  From the moment that I unwrapped The Sesame Street Cookbook on my 5th birthday, I was hooked, and I haven't stopped collecting since.  My cookbooks take up an unnecessarily large percentage of my kitchen shelf space, and are organized by category, some more worn, dog-eared, and flour-coated than others.  I read them in bed as if they are page-turning novels, absorbing ideas, concepts, and the colorful recipe photographs, which fill my head as I drift off to sleep.

One nice thing about this cookbook obsession of mine is that it makes me someone for whom it is very easy to buy gifts (hint hint).  In my opinion, you can never go wrong with 200+ pages that start with the words "Preheat the oven to 350F degrees."  For Christmas this year, my mom and dad gave me a copy of the James Beard nominated book Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads, and yes, I have just gotten around to trying one of the recipes.  The reason for this, in addition to the fact that I already had a long queue of recipes waiting patiently to be tried, is that this beautifully photographed publication reads much like a textbook in the beginning chapters.  Mr. Reinhart knows his bread inside and out, and he teaches his readers the whys and hows of bread baking, so that they understand his reasons for using the "delayed fermentation" technique (translation: most recipes in this book need to be started one day in advance). 

Planning ahead pays off.  This loaf of bread was probably the most professional-tasting one that I have ever baked, and I have baked many.  The process was not at all difficult or labor intensive, it just covered a long period of time with many breaks.  I learned a few new techniques, such as preparing a "soaker", a non-fermented dough containing grain, water, and salt, with the intended purpose of initiating enzyme activity.  I also prepared a "biga" for the first time, which is a pre-fermented stiff starter dough containing a small amount of yeast.  I love that this book offers over 50 more healthy whole-grain recipes for me to try, from international Bavarian Pumpernickel to a 100% Sprouted Grain Bread.  With the price of store-bought bread skyrocketing, I may just start making my own.  Next in line: Whole Wheat Pita Bread--YUM!  Here are some tips for this slightly sweet healthy whole grain bread:

• To kick this recipe up a healthy notch, add a few tablespoons of flax seeds or ground flax seed meal to the final dough.  Instead of using butter in the biga, use safflower, sunflower, or canola oil.
• The buttermilk in this recipe can be replaced by soy milk, rice milk, or regular low-fat  (0r whole) milk. 
• Dried cranberries, cherries, chopped figs, or golden raisins can be substituted for the dark raisins.
• The soaker can be made up to 3 days in advance.  If it is more than 24 hours until you plan to use it, then refrigerate the soaker and remove it 2 hours prior to use.
• Be sure to use instant or "rapid rise" yeast for this recipe as opposed to "active dry."  Active dry yeast must be hydrated in warm water prior to adding it to the dough in order for it to be effective. 
• If you don't have a stand mixer, then the final dough can be mixed by hand.  Just knead all of the ingredients in a large bowl until they are evenly integrated and the dough has a soft, slightly sticky texture. 
• For a crunchy cinnamon crust, when the loaf comes out of the oven, immediately brush the top with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and then roll  the buttered top in additional cinnamon-sugar.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Makes 1 large loaf

Ingredients:

Soaker

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup raisins

Biga

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

6 tablespoons buttermilk

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

Final Dough

7 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast

2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)

Prepare the soaker:  Combine the flour, salt, and buttermilk in a bowl and mix for about 1 minute, until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough.  Add the raisins and use wet hands to knead until evenly incorporated.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.

Prepare the biga:  Mix all of the biga ingredients together in a bowl to form a ball of dough.  Using wet hands, knead the ball of dough in the bowl for 2 minutes to ensure that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed and the flour is fully hydrated.  The dough should feel very tacky.  Let the dough rest for 5 minutes and then knead it again for 1 minute.  Transfer to a clean bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.   About 2 hours prior to mixing the final dough, remove the biga from the refrigerator to take off the chill.  It should have only risen slightly.

Prepare the final dough:  Using a knife or pasty scraper, chop the soaker and biga into 12 smaller pieces each.  Sprinkle with flour if necessary to keep from sticking.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the bread hook, combine the starter and biga pieces along with the 7 tablespoons flour, salt, yeast, honey, and cinnamon.  Mix for 1 minute on slow speed to bring the ingredients together into a ball.  Switch to medium-low speed and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pieces become cohesive.  Add more flour or water as needed until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

Dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough in the flour to coat. Sprinkle the walnuts over the surface of the dough and knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, until the dough feels soft and tacky.  Form into a ball and let rest on the work surface for 5 minutes while you prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.  Knead the dough for 1 minute more, form into a ball, and place in the prepared bowl, rolling to coat with oil.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes, until it is about 1 1/2 times its original size.

When the dough has risen, dust the work surface with flour and transfer the dough to the work surface.  Roll the dough out to a 9-inch square approximately 1 1/2 inch thick.  Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and roll it up into a tight loaf.  Place the dough into a greased 4 1/2 by 9-inch bread pan.  Mist the top of the dough with nonstick spray, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes, until the loaf rises above the pan.

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.  Place the pan on the middle shelf, lower the temperature to 325F degrees, and bake for 20 minutes.  Rotate the pan and then continue to bake for 25-40 minutes, until the loaf is a rich brown and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.  The internal temperature should register at least 195F degrees in the center.  Transfer to a cooling rack and allow it to cool for at least 1 hour prior to serving. 

Maple, Gruyere, and Bacon Quiche

I vividly remember the very first time that, when I was about nine or ten, my mother let me go out to lunch alone with my good friend Melissa.  We lived in a very safe, small town of about 3,000 people, the kind of town where it was fine for me to walk to my dentist appointment or the library on main street, because I knew all of the neighbors if anything should happen along the way.  As with many small towns, there were only a few dining establishments appropriate for two young ladies who lunch, so we went to the Book Peddler's Cafe, a small, lunch-only bistro that was built as an addition to our town's boutique book shop.  We knew the owner, and, looking back, I'm sure that my mom gave her a call prior to our arrival to let her know that we were coming.

Arriving at the cafe, I recall feeling very grown-up, so it was without question that I should order something grown-up from the menu.  To me, quiche was the ultimate adult food and something that I had never ordered at a restaurant.  It was what my mother served when she hosted her bridge group or a brunch, and, more importantly, it was a fancy French dish. I played it safe and ordered the ham and cheese quiche (I really liked ham and cheese sandwiches in my lunch box, so how different could it be?).  Melissa, feeling equally mature, ordered the chef's salad.  We were the perfect little ladies, chatting about summer camp, and what we were playing in the piano recital, enjoying a delicious grown-up lunch.  Gosh I hope we tipped enough.....

This quiche recipe is a little bit different from many in that it is made in a springform pan as opposed to a traditional fluted tart pan.  The sides are deep, giving the finished product more of a rustic look, and offering a much higher filling to crust ratio.  The maple flavor really comes through and the sweetness balances nicely with the salty bacon and sauteed onion.  The crust is flaky and buttery and comes together in minutes using the food processor.  Make it ahead of time and reheat just prior to serving.  Here are a few tips for this slightly sweet and savory quiche:

• "Pate brisee" is just another term for a standard pastry or pie dough that is made with butter.  The recipe below is very simple and forgiving, so it is a good one to keep on file.  The pastry can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and it can be frozen for up to 1 month.  Thaw overnight in the refrigerator prior to using.
• To lighten up this recipe, use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon.  Instead of reserving the bacon grease, wipe the skillet clean and saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of heart-healthy olive oil.  In place of the 4 eggs, use 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites.  Opt for the half-and-half over the heavy cream and use low-fat cheese in place of the full-fat version.
• The quiche can be served warm or at room temperature.  The cooled quiche can be covered loosely with foil and refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Reheat, covered, in a 300F degree oven for about 45 minutes. 
• Instead of Gruyere, try substituting other cheeses, such as sharp cheddar, fontina, parmigiano-reggiano, or smoked gouda.

Maple, Gruyere, and Bacon Quiche

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

For Pate Brisee

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 pound cold butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup ice water

For Quiche

6 ounces bacon (about 8 strips)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon water

4 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream or half and half

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the crust:  Pulse the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor to combine.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 10 pulses.  With the machine running, add the ice water in a slow, steady stream until the dough just holds together.  Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 14-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick.  Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan, then fold the sides of the dough down to create a 2-inch high border.  Prick the bottom several times with a fork and then freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Line the dough with parchment paper and cover the bottom with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake until the edges are just firm, about 20 minutes.  Remove the weights and parchment, return to the oven, and bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes more.  Let cool.

Reduce the oven to 375F degrees.  Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes.  Drain on paper towels and let cool slightly.  Break into 1/2-inch pieces.  Pour off the dripping, reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet.

Add the oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the maple syrup and water and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet, for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, cream, Gruyere, and thyme in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Whisk in the onion mixture.  Pour into the cooked quiche shell and scatter half of the bacon on top.  Bake until the edges of the egg mixture are just set, about 15 minutes.  Scatter the remaining bacon over the top and bake until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more.  Let cook for at least 30 minutes and serve.   

Citrus-Soy Tuna Steaks with Watermelon-Ginger Relish

I have mentioned in the past how frustrating it is, living in the desert, that we don't have a consistent selection of high-quality seasonal produce to choose from.  You can pretty much forget about the whole "locally grown" concept, since there is not exactly an overabundance of farms in the Las Vegas vicinity.  Sometimes a girl just wants a good old-fashioned roadside farm stand, like we had in both New Jersey and Texas, where I grew up (come to think of it, that's probably about all these two states have in common).  Nothing beats pulling up to one of these mom-and-pop establishments, without any preconceived notion of what you are going to buy, and bringing home a bushel of whatever was picked just a few hours earlier. 

That being said, when I came across a prominently displayed stack of those bowling-ball sized personal seedless watermelons at the grocery store, you can bet that I added a few to my cart.  Watermelon is one of those foods, like green grapes and really juicy cold apples, which I forget how much I like if I don't eat it for awhile.  Then I usually end up eating it every day for the next month.  When I came home and started putting the groceries away, I realized that I had bought a lot of watermelon, so I needed to get creative in the kitchen.  Part of it I left for an after-dinner sweet (trying to cut back on the Golden Spoon frozen yogurt), some of it I'll use this weekend to whip up some watermelon-lime margaritas, and with the rest, I decided to make an Asian-inspired salsa to top the tuna steaks that I'd found at Trader Joe's.  The result was a light and healthy dinner with some great textures and flavors.  Here are a few tips for preparing this refreshing relish-topped tuna:

• Sriracha is a hot chile sauce, and it can be found in the Asian foods section of your grocery store (Huy Fong is a common brand).  If you don't have any on hand, you can either omit it or substitute 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
• If multi-colored watermelons are available in your area, then I am very jealous!  The salsa looks even better with a combination of red, yellow, and orange watermelon.
• This recipe will work equally well with any firm-textured fish, such as mahi-mahi, halibut, swordfish, or Chilean sea bass.
• Sprinkle the dish with toasted sesame seeds for an added nutty flavor and an attractive presentation.
• The salsa will keep for an extra day or two, tightly covered and refrigerated, and it is delicious enough to eat on its own.

Citrus-Soy Tuna Steaks with Watermelon-Ginger Relish

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Tuna and Marinade

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup chopped scallions

3 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon Sriracha

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 (6-8 ounce) tuna steaks, about 3/4 inch thick

Relish

3 cups diced seeded watermelon

3 tablespoons sliced scallions

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Prepare tuna:  Combine the first 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag.  Add the tuna steaks to the bag and seal.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare the relish:  Combine the watermelon with the next 8 ingredients (through sesame oil) in a large bowl.  Cover and chill.

Remove the tuna steaks from the bag and discard the marinade.  Place the fish on a grill rack or grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Cook for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare or until desired degree of doneness.  Serve topped with the relish. 

Sioux City Sarsaparilla Barbecue Sauce

So I made a little error last night when preparing the recipe for today's post.  I forgot to take a picture of the completed product, in all of its glistening, cabernet-colored, caramelized glory, coating a juicy chicken breast.  Somewhere between taking the chicken off the grill and fending off my dogs, who were begging for the last few succulent pieces, the photo opportunity slipped my mind.  On the positive side, I suppose this is a true testament for how delicious this smoky sauce really is--I couldn't wait to eat it.  On the downside, the only photo that I have for you today is of my basting brush waiting patiently in the tub for the chicken to be ready to coat (it still looks good though).

I have seen recipes for barbecue sauces that contain every ingredient imaginable: whiskey, espresso, Coca-Cola, rum, red wine, and even chocolate.  Once you have the basic tomato-base of the sauce, it is fun to play around with the different flavors and levels of spice--just add the ingredients gradually. A sauce with two cups of whiskey might set the entire backyard on fire, which might really irritate the neighbors, especially since you were having a barbecue and didn't invite them.  Anyhow, this particular sauce was inspired by a bottle of liquid smoke from the pantry and a bottle Sioux City Sarsaparilla that I had in my refrigerator for quite some time.  I didn't want to throw it out, but I am not much of a sarsaparilla drinker either, so I was just waiting for a chance to use it.

Sioux City Sarsaparilla is a soft drink comparable to root beer.  The flavor is a bit creamier and also contains a hint of vanilla.  It is definitely a niche item with a vintage soda look, and it is not easy to find (other than on-line), but if you happen to come across it, this "Granddaddy of all root beers" is definitely worth a try.  Here are a few extra comments about this savory sarsaparilla sauce:

• As I said above, Sioux City Sarsaparilla can be a bit tough to find, but you can use another brand of sarsaparilla soda, root beer, or even Dr. Pepper as a substitute. 
• Don't omit the liquid smoke from this recipe, it really gives it a unique flavor and heavenly aroma while it is cooking on the stove.  You will recognize it as soon as you taste and smell it.  It is made by concentrating liquid smoke and extracting it with water (similar to a vanilla extract).  It doesn't cost very much, and a little bit goes a long way, so I would definitely recommend purchasing a bottle for the barbecue season.
• When grilling chicken, pork, or whatever you plan to coat with this sauce, do not baste with the sauce until the last few minutes of grilling.  The sugar content will cause over-caramelization and charring if the sauce is added too early.

Sioux City Sarsaparilla Barbecue Sauce

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup Sioux City Sarsaparilla

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey, molasses, or agave nectar

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 20-25 minutes.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.  Cool slightly.

Roasted Beet, Candied Almond, and Pecorino Salad

Anyone who has ever dipped into a bowl of candied or spiced nuts knows that they are highly addictive.  There you are at the restaurant, sitting at the bar and waiting for your table to be ready, absentmindedly picking at the bowl of sweet and spicy cashews.  Your hand goes for a refill, and you hit an empty bowl.  Something about the combination of flavors, which fire a direct hit to every area of your palate, makes it impossible to eat just a few.  Suddenly, you're not so hungry for dinner anymore (buy hey--are there any more of those nuts stashed behind the bar???).

One way to avoid this problem, other than not making the delectable snacks, which we all know is out of the question, is to make the nuts a part of your meal, such as a topping for a salad.  It's funny how, to many people, putting something on a salad automatically makes it healthy, just because it's called a salad.  I've got news for you people:  A deep fried taco shell, filled with ground beef, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole is not the same as mixed greens with balsamic on the side.  But, if you sprinkle a reasonable amount of nuts, or cheese, or even bacon on top of the salad, you still get the benefit of flavor without the extra calories.

This simple salad incorporates one of my favorite vegetables, sweet roasted beets.  Combined with the slightly spicy and salty almonds, a citrus dressing, peppery arugula, and tangy pecorino, it really puts your taste buds to work!  Here are a few tips for preparing the salad:

• If you cannot find golden beets, then red beets may be substituted.  I tend to prefer the golden beets because they don't stain everything that they come into contact with!  Striped "candy cane" beets and baby beets are also acceptable substitutions.
• The orange juice can be replaced by tangerine juice, grapefruit juice, or even pomegranate juice.
• Marcona almonds are large flat Spanish almonds, and they have a richer, more intense flavor than general almonds.  I found mine at (where else?) Trader Joe's, and most specialty grocers are likely to carry them.  Normal blanched almonds can replace the marconas.
• Shaved parmigiano-reggiano or asiago can be substituted for the pecorino cheese.  Mixed greens, frisee, or baby spinach can be substituted for the arugula.

Roasted Beet, Candied Almond, and Pecorino Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds golden beets, scrubbed and trimmed

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup marcona almonds

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced shallots

6 cups baby arugula

Shaved pecorino cheese

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  In a large baking dish, toss the beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until tender.  When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium saucepan, combine the butter with the sugar, honey, salt, and cayenne and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Add the almonds and stir until evenly coated with the syrup.  Scrape the almonds onto the parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake with the beets for 12 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.  Let cool and then break into pieces.

In a small saucepan, simmer the orange juice over moderate heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 10-15 minutes.  Let cool and then transfer to a large bowl.  Whisk in the vinegar, mustard, and shallots.  Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper.  Add the beets and arugula and toss.

Transfer the salad to a platter or bowl.  Garnish with the candied almonds and the shaved pecorino cheese.