Then a couple of weeks ago while perusing the aisles of Fresh Market, I saw some nice looking fresh beets (without the stems) and decided to try them. I did make them several years ago, but for reason just never went back to making them again. I also found some beautiful ripe Blood Oranges and thought about a vinaigrette for the beets. They came out so good and delicious I just had to make them again this week.
Beets are full of wonderful nutrients like magnesium, potassium and Vitamin C and the color of red beets is just wonderful and brightens the plate beautifully. They are easy to prepare and can be used in a variety of ways including the leafy portion which means that if you buy them with the stem on you can a get a second vegetable out of one purchase. If you are going to be using them in a salad, I recommend you roast them the day before so that they have time chill before using them. Below is the recipe for Red Beet Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette that I served with last night's Grilled Chicken Breasts.
Roasted Red Beets - 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
4 red beets, stems and leaves removed, washed
Vegetable or Canola oil
salt
Prepartion:
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Trim beets leaving a small amount of stem in tact (aids in keeping beet juice in) and wash well to remove and dirt or grit.
Place a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the beets in on a cookie sheet. Coat beets in a small amount of oil (vegetable or canola) and a sprinkle of sea salt. Wrap foil tightly around beets and bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes (baking time will vary based on size and age of the beets) until fork tender. Allow the beets to cool until they can be handled.
When cooled it's now very easy to remove the skin and stems (I highly recommend wearing gloves). Just rub gently and the skins will come off. At this point you can use them in your favorite recipe or refrigerate to chill for use in salad.
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| Roasted Red Beet Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette |
Ingredients:
3/4 cup blood orange juice (about 3 blood oranges)
1 shallot, minced or 2 tablespoons red onion, minced
thinly sliced red onion (to taste)
zest of one orange
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
salt
black pepper
1-2 tbsp. beet juice
Preparation:
In a blender or non-reactive bowl blend orange juice, shallot or onion, beet juice, salt, and pepper. Whisking continuously add oil in a thin stream until thoroughly blended. Season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Serve on a bed of salad greens with thinly sliced red onion and drizzled with vinaigrette.
Blood Orange
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