Watercress, Beet, and Egg Salad

This recipe comes from a lovely cookbook by David Tanis, and is organized by season, which I love.  This recipe makes a delicious light lunch.  With the weather heating up, cool salads will by on my personal menus for the week!  In place of the watercress, you could also use endive, spinach, arugula, or the lettuce from your box!

3 bunches watercress (or your lettuce!)
2 large shallots
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
3-6 medium beets, roasted, peeled, cooled and diced small
6 hard cooked eggs, with the center still a bit soft

Roast your beets: Put your unpeeled beets in a roasting pan with about an inch of water.  Bake, covered with tin foil, at 350 degrees for an hour, or until easily pinched with a fork.  Slip off the skins while the beets are still warm, and cool in the refrigerator.  

Make your vinaigrette:  macerate the diced shallots in a bowl with the vinegars and a bit of salt for 10 minutes.  Stir in the mustard.  Whisk in the olive oil, the orange zest and some pepper.  Adjust seasonings as necessary.  

Put the diced beets in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Whisk the vinaigrette and pour it over the beets.  Toss the beets in the dressing and leave at room temperature.  

To assemble the salad, trim your watercress or lettuce into bite sized pieces and make a fluffy pile on a platter.  Scatter the beets over the lettuce leaves, distributing the vinaigrette as evenly as you can.  Carefully cut the eggs into quarters and garnish the salad with them.  Sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper just before serving.  

Recipe from: A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes, by David Tanis