Wednesday, April 24, 2013

We've got the beet!



      
      I have this game going that whenever my boyfriend says he doesn't like a particular ingredient I insist on figuring out a way to prepare it that he might enjoy. Shahin used to hate raw red onion until I placed fine slivers of it in a strawberry cream cheese salad with sweet balsamic dressing. Until recently, he used to loathe beets until I finally decided to cook them at home for the first time! I love beets, but I have always been intimidated by preparing them myself. I had heard horror stories about staining clothing and counter tops with the vegetable's dye (wouldn't wear white for this recipe folks!) and that the amount of work that went into making beets did not out weigh the benefits. However, to my surprise and delight, these tasty morsels were a breeze to roast in the oven and I find myself making batches each week! I serve these ruby red beets with an easy and delicious dressing of champagne vinegar, olive oil, lemon thyme (from my garden), sea salt, and the juice of one large blood orange. I inhale these roasted beets as if they were savory bits of candy and the best part is that I can make a large batch and store them in the fridge for several days to use in salads or as an easy side dish! 

Magic Ingredients:
-1 pound fresh beets
-1 cup olive oil
-1 tablespoon sea salt
-1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
-1 tablespoon fresh lemon thyme
-1 blood orange (or whatever citrus you prefer)
-1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

Getting Started:
1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees then using a sharp knife, carefully slice the tops off of the beets and peel away all the skin. 
2: Slice the peeled beets into equal sizes about 1/2 inch thick.



3: Toss the beets in the olive oil, salt, and black pepper and layer evenly on a baking sheet covered in foil. Bake in a preheated oven for roughly 45 minutes


4: While the beets are roasting, be sure to turn them to coat them in additional olive oil every 15 minutes!



*The beets should look something like this after 45 minutes. Slightly crisp on the outside and tender and yummy to the taste.


5: As soon as you pull the beets out of the oven, drizzle the juice of a blood orange and the champagne vinegar over the warm vegetables. 
6: Chop the fresh lemon thyme and garnish the roasted beets, then serve!




       Coming up shortly I will be sharing my absolute favorite way to serve beets, in a hearty yet healthy salad! Stay tuned for the recipe I have been devouring over and over recently!

Yours,
Nico







13 comments:

  1. I love beets and this looks yummy! :) T. http://tickledpinkwoman.blogspot.com

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  2. The beets do look so yummy!! I am too stubborn to try things like this with ingredients I know I don't enjoy (beets included maybe in a red velvet cake?) Glad to hear your version of my rose cookies turned out:)

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  3. I bet they're good Nico! I'm not a beet girl :( , but I bet yours taste delicious.

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  4. Hi Nico,

    I love beetroot in salads and roasted with a lot of other root vegetables in olive oil.
    Thanks for sharing the recipe and will try this.
    Enjoy the rest of the week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  5. Hello from Spain: you are an expert cook. Great job. Keep in touch

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  6. I LOVE BEETS! In NZ we call it beetroot...? Weird. My BF is the same - he's too fussy, he doesn't like creamy things, sweet things, he HATES beetroot!

    ♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.
    http://shoe-fiend.blogspot.co.uk/

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  7. looks good. i'm not a fan of beetroot but i read that it's super nutritious! thus, i may give it a go someday. yes, beetroot stains like crazy.

    xoxo
    mochaccinoland.blogspot.com

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  8. Ive only started eating beetroot last year and now love it, your recipe sounds delicious, will have to try it out!

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  9. I'll have to try this as beets haven't really been my thing, but this looks different!! Super. Have a fantastic weekend doll xx

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  10. I love beets! I will def have to try this recipe.

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  11. I love beets! Delicious and such a good way of getting more vegetables into the diet.

    The methods of preparation you're writing about here are really lovely :)

    Thanks for sharing, take care :) xx

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Positive comments are always appreciated!