Our family went through a jar of pickled beets at least every couple weeks. We also ate plenty of boiled beets. Growing up, I didn’t especially care for either version.
Of all the ways to prepare beets, my personal favorite is roasting them to bring out their natural earthy flavor and sweetness.
I also like to combine beets with other ingredients. Some of the most compatible are goat cheese, citrus, nuts, fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar. Here is a recipe that calls for all of those things:
ORANGE-ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE & DILL
Serves 6 to 8
2¼ pounds small beets (ideally multicolored)
Grated zest and juice of 1 small orange
2½ tablespoons apple balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped dill, plus extra for garnish
5¼ ounces soft rindless goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces or skinned, halved hazelnuts
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim the stalks from the beet, peel and cut into bite-size wedges. Place them in a small roasting pan.
2. Add the orange zest to the beet with 2 tablespoons of the juice, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some pepper. Toss together well, cover the pan tightly with foil, and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour until just tender. Remove and let cool until cold.
3. Whisk the rest of the vinegar with the honey, then whisk in the remaining oil. Stir in the garlic and season to taste. Spoon the dressing over the beet with 1 tablespoon chopped dill and mix together well. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl, sprinkle over the goat cheese, nuts, pumpkin seeds and extra dill, and serve.
Our assessment: This is a delicious side dish that would go well with ham, roast or chicken. I didn't have apple-flavored balsamic on hand, so I substituted fig-flavored balsamic, which is similar to apple. Also, I recommend wearing latex gloves when cutting beets to avoid staining your hands.
From the book: "The Farmhouse Cookbook" by Sarah Mayor; 224 pages, $$29.95. Published by Quadrille, 2013.
What you get: "Thoughtful" is the word that comes to mind when I look at this collection of recipes that comes from a traditional British family farm. Some of the recipes I want to try: Lemon Curd & Raisin Bread & Butter Pudding; Cream of Asparagus Soup with Soft-Poached Eggs; Roasted Squash, Red Onion, Green Leaf & Cheese Tart; Cauliflower Cheese with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Crispy Bacon; and Nutmeg Rice Pudding with Cider-Baked Apples.
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