Can’t Beat Fresh Beets

I have a confession to make: I like canned beets. When it came to roasting my own, I always envisioned stained hands and cutting boards, plus hours spent roasting and peeling them. None of that appealed to me. 

But then we went to the farmer’s market. (I know…another I-love-the-farmer’s-market story…) I was perusing some produce when the vendor stuck a cut beet in front of my face and touted its wonderful color and pattern. It did have a very unique look to it, and as I’ve said before, I can’t pass up beautiful produce. So of course, a lovely bunch of beets came home with me. (And so did another bunch the next week.) 

Turns out that roasting beets is much easier than I thought. All you have to do is stick the whole bunch in the oven and 45 minutes later you pull out some fairly gnarly looking specimen. Maybe it was the kind of beets that I had, but much to my surprise, my hands did not absorb even a hint of red. 

Here they are, in all their roasted glory: 

(They spruce up considerably after peeling and trimming.) 

Once you’ve roasted them, the possibilities are endless. Here are two dishes that I came up with to show off their bright, wonderful color, and also their yummy, dirty taste. (And yes, I do think that in this case, tasting like dirt is a good thing.) 

For both recipes, roast the beets first. 

Roasted Beets

1 bunch beets, scrubbed clean and greens trimmed
olive oil
salt and pepper

In a glass dish, oil beets and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes (until beets are fork tender). Let cool, then trim and peel.

Roasted Beet and Yukon Gold Potato Stacks with Goat Cheese Filling

1 bunch roasted beets, thinly sliced into rounds
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
2 shallots, sliced
2 ounces goat cheese
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided use
1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
pinch pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Thinly slice potatoes and shallots into rounds. Toss each with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees in separate pans. Potatoes will take about 20 minutes, shallots about 10 minutes. (Be careful not to let the potatoes crisp.)

For cheese mixture, mix together goat cheese, 2 teaspoons olive oil, rosemary and a pinch of pepper. Set aside.

For dressing, whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Set aside.

To assemble, using a ring mold, layer potatoes, then beets, and spread cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle with shallots, then spoon dressing over. Add another layer of potatoes, and end with a layer of beets, pressing down firmly to compact.

This dish served as a very unique first course. The differing textures of the root vegetables and the cheese create a delectable bite with both an earthiness and tanginess.

Roasted Beet Salad with Fried Capers and Creamy Citrus Vinaigrette 

1 bunch roasted beets, cut lengthwise into quarters
fried capers (see below)
arugula
butter lettuce

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I used Clementines)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cream
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

To make fried capers, rinse and drain capers, then fry in a small amount of hot olive oil. Remove when they are “bloomed” and slightly crisp. Drain on a paper towel.

Whisk all dressing ingredients together.

For two big salads, I used one whole bunch of beets and the above measurements for the dressing. Add as much or little of the other ingredients to suit you.

The salad is light and fresh. The creamy citrus dressing is not heavy, and offers just a hint of orange. The beets shine, but surprisingly, the capers were my favorite part of the dish. Frying them takes away their bitter, harsh taste, and replaces it with a salty, zingy flavor.

Home-roasted beets are worlds apart from their canned counterparts. It will be hard for me to open another can knowing that this option is available.