Seared Haloumi and Charred Veggie Salad

4-6

2                            Large beets (about a pound), cleaned well

1                            Large sweet potato, cleaned well

2                            Red apples like honeycrisp or fuji

1                            Green apple, thinly sliced

4 or 5                     Haloumi cheese, drizzled with olive oil

3                            Thyme sprigs

½ cup                     Extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup                     Apple-cider vinegar

1 teaspoon              Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons         Prepared horseradish

1/3 cup                   Salted pistachios, chopped (you can substitute sliced almonds or sunflower seeds)

6-8 leaves               Boston or Bibb lettuce, cleaned well

1. Insert the cast iron griddle into your Cuisinart 4 in 1 Pellet Grill. Turn the control knob to sear. Close the lid.
2. Slice long pieces (about 3” long) of haloumi and drizzle with oil. Set aside.
3. In an oven-proof baking dish, lightly drizzle the beets and sweet potato as well as the thyme with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil. Turn the grill down to 375°F and place the beets and sweet potato on the left side of the grill, roasting until the beets are tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
4. While beets and sweet potato are roasting, cut the red apple in fourths and grill, simply marking it. Set aside.
5. Close the lid of the grill again. When the beets and potato are cool, peel the beets and cut them into sixths. Cut the sweet potato into 1” thick disks. Drizzle them with olive oil. Set aside, keeping them separate.
6. With the beets and sweet potato set aside, open your grill still set at 375°F, sear the haloumi on the cast iron insert, flipping occasionally until all sides get a nice, brown color. Set them aside.
7. Next, do the same with the sweet potato- marking them on the cast iron griddle. Set aside.
8. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the mustard. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until emulsified. Add the horseradish and season with salt and pepper; toss with the beets and pistachios. Set aside.
9. On a large platter, place a layer of lettuce, then build your salad from the bottom up- layering lettuce dressed with the vinaigrette, the beets and potatoes, the grilled apple, the sliced green apple, the crumbled haloumi cheese, nuts, etc. Serve immediately.