While dining at Bistrot Parnell in Normandy, I was reminded of my love for beets. (I wrote about the experience on Substack, please subscribe if you haven’t already! My trip included a retreat hosted by Shannon and Wlady Grochowski, founders of La Châtelaine Chocolate Company. If you’re interested in living like a local in France for a few days, I highly recommend the experience!)
What initially caught my eye on the menu was the mention of toasted buckwheat (sarassin in French) in the beet salad (betterave). This use was novel to me, having only used buckwheat groats in things like rye sourdough and granola. Back home, I set to experimenting, beginning with the buckwheat which was easy: buy buckwheat groats in bulk section of a natural foods store like the Bozeman Community Food Co-Op, pour half a pound out onto a rimmed quarter-sheet pan, and bake at 325°F until toasty brown, about 25–30 minutes. Next came the beets which I roasted in the oven and prepared as a small dice, beet “caviar” using a recipe from my cooking school days.
When it came to tasting, I made this ultimate avocado toast since I had a fresh loaf of Wild Rye sourdough in the kitchen: toast the rye darkly, spread with cream cheese, quarter it and layer on the sliced avocado, beet caviar, and a sprinkling of toasted buckwheat. It was delicious so I thought you should know about it.
Another serving suggestion is as a salad; use greens or radicchio + endive and top with a dollop of crème fraîche.
Beet Caviar
makes about 2 cups, 4–6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 red beets
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers in brine, drained Jeff's Garden or Napoleon
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish Bubbies
- ⅛ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In Advance: Cook the beets by roasting in the oven or sous vide
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For oven roast: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut off beet greens, leaving 1-inch stems; leave root intact. Scrub clean with water and place in a glass baking dish. Add water to about ¼ inch, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 45–60 minutes, until beets are fork-tender. When cool enough to handle, peel skin, and cut off roots and tops. Cut into very small dice (see note) and transfer to jar or small bowl.
Dressing
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In a small jar or glass measuring cup, combine the shallots, capers, vinegars, horseradish, Worcestershire, a couple pinches of salt, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Drizzle over tiny-diced beets and refrigerate for up to a week.
Serve over avocado toast or on a bed of greens or radicchio + endive topped with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream
Recipe Notes / 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 the beets are ready to go for whatever purpose.
- How to dice a beet: Cut the roly poly beet 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 cut lengthwise (trying your best to keep the stack together), then cut across into dice.
- 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.
