now don’t be giving me an attitude about beets. if the only kind of beet you’ve ever tried has come out of a can, you really do not know beets. to be properly introduce to them, they must be roasted. roasting intensifies their earthy sweetness and brings out the complexity of their flavors. even people who have a life long aversion to beets become converts once they taste them in their roasted wonderfulness. (my friend debbie is one such convert!!)
the farmers’s market is the best place to buy beets. waaay cheaper than the grocery store. i got 6 large beets for $2!! once you get them home, cuts the greens off if they were still attached, (beets greens are excellent in their own right, but that is another post!) scrub them well and drizzle them with a bit of olive oil. wrap them in parchment and then foil, and place them in a 400 degree oven.
depending on their size and age, they will take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half to cook through. a skewer should slip easily into the heart of the beet. once they are done, remove them from the oven and leave them in the foil until they are cool enough to handle. the skin should slip easily from the flesh. you may want to wear gloves while peeling as they will stain your hands a lovely…beet color!
at this point, they are ready to be eaten!! i like them sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper along side a juicy steak. however, the next best thing is to put them in a salad or better yet, make a salad of them. dressed with a simple herb sauce, a bit of goat cheese and some toasted walnuts, roasted beets become something you will crave over and over. you can make this sauce or mix it up a bit by adding whatever herbs you have on hand.
i added some arugula and garlic chives as they were growing in my early spring garden. tarragon would be fabulous if you had some. use your imagination and invent your own herb-combo. you can’t mess it up. slice your beets onto a large platter, top with some goat cheese and toasted walnuts then drizzle with a bit of your herb sauce.
you will weep openly at how delicious this is. and beets? consider yourelf properly introduced!
peace – jodi.
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