Something delicious happens when you pair these tangy beets with creamy fromage blanc, creme fraiche, or even plain yogurt. Delicious and beautiful. The changing colors of deep purple lightening to various shades of pink as you move the salad around a bit with your fork will mesmerize you into slowing down and taking notice as you eat.
Roasted Beets with Fromage Blanc
Ingredients
- 6 - 8 beets
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or use a fruit-fused balsamic, like pomegrante-balsamic, that you can find at places like Olivelle in Bozeman and Del'Oliva in Burlingame)
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon horseradish ("prepared horseradish", sold in jars)
- a few dashes (1/4 teaspoon max) worcestershire sauce
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- a few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
- Serve with fromage blanc and thinly sliced radicchio and endive
Instructions
- Roast the beets. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Trim off beet greens, making sure not to cut into the round beet part. (You want to roast the beet whole and keep more juice inside the beet rather than in your baking dish – so don’t trim the root too close to the round part either.). Rinse and scrub dirt off beets using a stiff bristled veggie brush or washcloth and water. Place beets in a glass or ceramic baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until tender.
- Make the dressing by combining the shallots with the vinegars in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Stir in the horseradish, capers, parsley, salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
- After the beets are cooked, peel each one and cut into small dice starting by cutting each in half so you have something stable to work with, instead of a ball. Make horizontal slab slices through each half, stack back up then slice lengthwise, trying to keep your stack together, then cut crossways and you have dice. Put in a glass or ceramic bowl (just not metal), drizzle dressing over and stir with a rubber spatula to combine. Refrigerate at his point up to one week.
- Serve with thinly sliced radicchio and endive and a spoon of farmers cheese. If desired, drizzle with a little olive oil.
Ripe Food & Wine | http://www.ripefoodandwine.com | Amy Andrews amy@ripefoodandwine.com
Amy’s Kitchen Coach Tips
- Roast the beets up to 3 days in advance, perhaps when you have something else already cooking in the oven – saves energy and then you have the beets ready to go when you get the salad craving.Roast the beets up to 3 days in advance, perhaps when you have something else already cooking in the oven – saves energy and then you have the beets ready to go when you get the salad craving.
- The sharp flavor of shallots mellows when they are diced and rest with vinegar for 10 minutes or so. Always allow this minimum time before dressing beets, or any salad.
- These beets make a great hors d’oeuvre. Serve a small spoonful in an endive spear, top with a small dollop of creme faiche.
