ROAST BEETS: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large (15x21-inch) sheet pan (or 2 smaller ones) with parchment paper and set aside. (See Note 1) Remove the tops and stems of the beets and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes; you should get a packed 3 cups of beet cubes. Add beet cubes to the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon oil plus salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.) Toss to coat the beets and spread in an even layer so beets have plenty of room and aren't overlapping. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and toss, and bake for 15 more minutes. If needed, toss again and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until crisp-tender (a fork easily pierces through a beet). Remove from the oven.
DRESSING: While the beets are roasting, prepare the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients in a wide-mouth jar. Season to taste; I add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to combine; you may need to stir the honey in if it settles at the bottom. Toss the chopped beets with 1 tablespoon of the dressing, cover, and place in the fridge to marinate while preparing the rest of the salad.
ALMONDS: While the beets cool, prepare the candied almonds. In a large skillet, add the sliced almonds and white sugar. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir near constantly. The sugar will begin to melt and become a sticky liquid and then stick to the almonds. This takes about 3-4 minutes -- watch carefully and stir near constantly to avoid burning the nuts. As soon as the sugar begins to melt, remove from heat, keep stirring for another minute and then spread the candied almonds onto a sheet of parchment paper and let harden. Once hard, break apart.
SUPREME CITRUS: Either peel the clementines and break into segments for this salad or use a sharp knife to cut off the peels and thinly slice ("supreme" the citrus). Either works great!
SALADASSEMBLY: Add lettuce to a large bowl or platter. Top with the diced cooled beets, citrus, sliced and candied almonds, and goat cheese. (See Note 2.) Drizzle dressing on to your preference; you may not want it all (we use about 3/4 of it. Leftover dressing stays good for up to a week in the fridge and is great on veggies/other salads.) Gently toss to combine, taste for any additional seasoning or if you want to add more dressing, and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Note 1: Beets can stain your hands, nails, cutting board, and pan. I recommend using a dark plastic cutting board, lining the pan with parchment, and if desired, handling beets with gloves on. (If you wash your hands often and quickly after handling beets, the color usually washes out well.)Note 2: Once dressed, this salad needs to be eaten and enjoyed promptly. The dressing wilts the lettuce wilt and softens the fruit. I’d recommend only dressing what you will enjoy the same day. Store the dressing and salad components separately.