Maybe you’ve heard me talk about the year my mother cooked the beet on Thanksgiving. It was the size of a volleyball. She cooked it like a roast and sliced it like a steak. We ate it with a fork and knife, bite by glorious ruby red bite. It was firm. It was meaty. It was the beet. For some mysterious reason it made us all laugh when she served it, and we still break into laughter whenever it is mentioned. And, no, we have not forgotten the beet.
Here is something you can do with fresh beets that are rather smaller than the much loved beet of years past. I’ve had it three times now and love this dish.
Roasted Beets
- beets
- vinegar
Sort out your fresh beets. You want to use those that are similar in size so that they will be done at the same time. To keep the juice and sugars in, leave the skin and do not cut or slice the beets. Wash the beets carefully. Leave an inch of the tops on and leave the bottoms on. Place the washed beets in a casserole dish and douse them with vinegar. It will make them moist, keep the flavor bright, and will not water the flavor down. Cover tightly with lid or foil and bake at 475 for 40-60 minutes depending on the size of the beets. (To make easier cleanup, but more trash, just wrap them up in foil and seal at the top.) They are done when they are the texture you like. I like them on the firm side. Choose one beet for testing, and pierce it with a fork to assess doneness.
When the beets are cooked to the desired firmness, take them to the sink to remove the skin. The juice stains and they will be quite hot, so handle carefully. First remove the skin. It should rub right off with a paper towl. You can either let them cool first and then remove the skin, or handle them under running water to cool them down while you off rub the skin. After you remove the skin, trim off the top and bottom. Then, slice them into bite sized chunks. The beets will be sweet and flavorful and can be used in this very delicious recipe featuring beets, feta, and carmelized onions, adapted from epicurious:
Beet Flavor Fest
- 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, coarse-grain, if you have it
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 3/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)
- 5 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 onions, quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Beets–1-2 bunches, about 4 cups (sorry, I know I’m not all that precise; blame my grandmother)
Whisk vinegar, mustard, black pepper, and 1/2 tsp. of salt in a large bowl. Slowly add 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil, whisking until well combined.
In a heavy skillet over moderate heat, caramelize the onions with the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. salt, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add the onions to the dressing, then add the beets and feta. Toss gently to combine.
It will be pretty. It will be unusual. It will be delicious. It will nicely complement lamb or beef.
