Harvesting beets is like finding an unexpected underground treasure. These magenta wonders have been growing in our garden’s soil for three months and finally arrived in February. As they push through the dirt, we are collecting recipes that will showcase our favorite root.
In the Carlsbad Senior Center community garden, we now have over a dozen plants ready for harvest. Many of the senior students are also fantastic cooks, and we share our expertise to create memorable meals.
What can you do with a beet?
Baked or steamed, pickled or roasted, the possibilities are endless. I am featuring my favorite upscale Roast Beet, Endive and Blue Cheese Salad, which I served as an appetizer in my catering business years ago. The beet salad is placed on individual slices of endive, the perfect handful for a party. The salad recipe can also be served in a large, decorative glass bowl as a main dish for a casual lunch.
My favorite beet salad
Although seemingly simple, this salad becomes the star when you choose only the best ingredients. Shop for the best quality balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and aged blue cheese. If your family is not fond of the strong flavor of blue cheese, substitute a local goat cheese.
INGREDIENTS
- 4-5 large beets (look for several colors if available)
- Two heads of endive or romaine lettuce
- One bag smallest spring greens
- One bunch sliced green onions
- Large decorative bowl or long serving platter
HOMEMADE VINAIGRETTE
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
- 3-4 cloves roasted garlic (roast in oven beforehand)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Process: In a large bowl, whisk together first five vinaigrette ingredients. Gradually add olive oil until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in one pint glass Ball jar with lid until ready to use.
HOW TO ROAST BEETS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove greens from beets. Wash well, and remove root section and stem. Place whole beets on foil, drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and ground pepper. Wrap individually in foil, place on a baking sheet and bake until soft (30-60 minutes). Allow to cool by placing in ice water. After cool to the touch, slip skins off and slice or dice into small pieces. Refrigerate until ready to use. Just before serving, place beets in a small glass bowl, toss with vinaigrette and sliced green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in the following fashion.
ASSEMBLY
Main dish: Using a large, decorative glass salad bowl, place individual slices of endive in a circle on inside edges of the bowl. Sprinkle a handful of spring greens in the center. Spoon the beet mixture on top of the spring greens, leaving endive standing on sides of bowl. Sprinkle with generous amounts of blue cheese just before serving.
Appetizer: If you are hosting a party, use the same recipe to make individual servings on endive slices. Place on a decorative tray, and serve to guests who will surely say, “And you grew these yourself?”
Expand your beet root repertoire
If beets are now part of your menu, try pickling them with a recipe from the Ball cookbook, which will teach you how to preserve everything, including root vegetables. Another of my favorite cold weather preparations is Beet & Cabbage Borscht.
Instructions for making this hearty soup can be found at jennycancook.com, and you will feel as if you are transported to a Jewish kitchen in New York! I sampled this soup in a traditional Jewish delicatessen in New York City, and have been searching for a recipe for years.
Send us your recipes for beets or any other harvest vegetable that you enjoy growing and cooking. Contact me at [email protected], and we just might include you in an upcoming issue.
Jano Nightingale is a horticulturist and Master Gardener who loves to cook with her homegrown vegetables. To find out about upcoming classes, contact her at [email protected] or call the Carlsbad Senior Center at 442-339-2650 for registration information.
