By Barbara Beltrami
I’ve always loved beets. My mother used to make wonderful pickled beets. And like so many then unpopular veggies she made, beets, along with kale, Swiss chard, kohlrabi and cauliflower, have finally been recognized as not only delicious but also healthful.
Consider roasted beet salad with goat cheese and walnuts. Order up a plate of beet ravioli or risotto at one of the trendy Italian restaurants or have a bowl of beet soup with a snowy dollop of yogurt or sour cream floating on top. Or best of all, try my mom’s pickled beets. Beets and a whole new generation of veggies have come into their own or maybe it’s just a whole new generation that has discovered them.
Pureed Beet Soup with Yogurt
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2½–3 cups chicken broth
4 cooked beets, chopped
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup half and half
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
4 sprigs fresh dill for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil 5 minutes or until opaque. In a large saucepan combine chicken broth, beets, tomatoes, onion and dill. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat, adjust salt and pepper and let cool slightly. In a food processor or blender, puree in batches until smooth; add a little water if mixture is too thick. Return to saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat or cover and refrigerate if not using immediately. When ready to serve ladle into 4 plates and swirl a little of the half and half through soup, top with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and sprig of dill. Serve with buttered toasted seeded rye bread.
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
4 whole beets
8 peeled garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup torn frisée
1 cup arugula
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Scrub, peel and chop beets; peel garlic cloves. In a medium bowl toss the beets and garlic with the two tablespoons of oil, thyme and salt and pepper. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spread beet mixture evenly over it. Roast 25 to 35 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together the quarter-cup olive oil, vinegars, orange juice, honey, mustard and salt and pepper. Remove beets from oven; let cool 10 minutes. Toss frisée and arugula and place on salad plates; place tomatoes on top of greens, then beets, goat cheese and walnuts and drizzle with oil and vinegar mixture. Serve at room temperature as a side dish or appetizer accompanied by crunchy baguette slices..
Mom’s Pickled Beets
YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 to 6 medium beets, pared, chopped and cooked
1 medium onion, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Add the beets and onion and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover, and stirring frequently, refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Serve at room temperature with pot roast or goulash and noodles.
