Serves 50.

INGREDIENTS

  • active time: 1 hr. start to finish: 9 hr.for dressing
  • 32 oz. whole-milk plain yogurt
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
  • for salad
  • 2 lb. trimmed beets
  • 2 1/2 lb. jicamas (about 1 1/2)3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virginolive oil
  • 2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 8 belgian endives

    DIRECTIONS

    Make dressing:
    Drain yogurt in a large sieve lined with double thickness of cheesecloth, chilled, at least 8 hours. Stir drained yogurt with garlic, mint, and salt to taste.


    Make salad:Preheat oven to 425°F.
    Wrap beets in foil and roast in middle of oven 1 1/4 hours, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Cool beets. Peel beets and jícamas and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Toss with sugar, zest, orange juice, vinegar, oil, fennel, and salt to taste.

    Stir lemon juice into a large bowl of cold water. Cut ends from endives and separate into leaves. Soak in lemon water 10 minutes to keep endive from discoloring. Drain and spin dry.


    Spread some dressing on each leaf and spoon beet salad over it.

    Cooks’ notes:
    • You can make dressing 2 days ahead and chill it, covered.• beets may be roasted, and beetsand jícama diced, 1 day ahead. Butkeep separate, chilled, in sealable plastic bags.