Prime Time for Beets

June 24, 2010 by Kenmore

Photo courtesy of Chris Andre

If beets have a bad rap, it might be because people have only had them from cans, which is not very appetizing. But now, fresh beets are common and along with purple ones, you can find them in yellow and striped versions.

Some cooks don’t like the idea of peeling beets, but if you roast them, the skins pop right off – no need to use a peeler! And as far as turning your hands red, well, wearing gloves while handling them will solve that problem.

If you’re a novice cook, pierce a raw beet with a fork to see how impenetrable they are. Then as they roast, you’ll be better able to judge their doneness; keep checking their progress and remove the tender ones until all the beets are roasted. You can tell when they are done because a knife or skewer inserted into the beet encounters little resistance.

Late spring and early summer are prime time for beets! Enjoy.

Ingredients

Beets:

  • 15 baby beets, preferably assorted colors, root trimmed, rinsed and patted dry; or 4 large beets
  • 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Crostini:

  • 8 thin slices of walnut bread
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. chopped orange zest
  • 1 tsp. tarragon
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Salad:

  • 8 cups (about 7 ounces) mixed baby salad greens, washed and dried
  • 2 T. chives, chopped
  • 1 T. parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

Vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
  • 2 T. champagne or white wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp. orange zest
  • 1 T. orange juice
  • 2 T. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. tarragon, chopped
  • 1 T. dill, chopped
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar

 

Preparation

  • 1Roast Beets: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss beets with 2 Tablespoon olive oil; transfer to a sheet pan. Cover with foil. Roast beets until soft, about 30-45 minutes (depending on their size), or until a skewer inserted pierces the beet easily. Pour any beet juices that have accumulated into a bowl and set aside. Cool and then peel the outer skin off of the beets and cut them in quarters (for larger beets) or halves (for smaller beets). Toss them in kosher salt and set aside.
  • 2Crostini: Lower the oven to 350°F. Slice bread 1/2-inch thick on the bias. Brush bread with oil. Toast in the oven until golden, 10-15 minutes. After toasting, lightly rub both sides of the crostini with the peeled garlic cloves. Mix goat cheese with orange zest, tarragon and salt. Spread cheese on bread. Right before ready to serve, return to the oven for 2 minutes to warm/melt the cheese.
  • 3Salad: Mix together greens, chives and parsley. Set aside. Toast walnuts at 325°F for 10 minutes.
  • 4Vinaigrette: Mix the olive oil, shallot, vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, tarragon, dill, salt and sugar. Add the reserved beet roasting juice. Toss beets in 2 Tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Toss the greens in the vinaigrette. Divide the greens among 8 plates. Put a few beets on each salad, sprinkle with walnuts and garnish with a slice of the warmed goat-cheese walnut bread. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Kenmore recommends…

Roast beets in the top oven while cooking your family’s favorite roast chicken in the bottom oven! You can do it with theKenmore Elite double oven range. Two ovens in the space of one appliance means you can multi-task any meal. Or save energy by using just the top oven for small dishes or desserts.

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