3.7.14

Roasted Beet & Garlic Salad with Fresh Herbs

Beets are one of those vegetables that I can’t seem to get enough of.  The method I use for preparing beets is typically to roast them with some garlic and decide from there how I want to finish them off – soup, salad, side dish, etc.  Today I am sharing one of the many salad variations in my repertoire (mostly based on what I have readily available in the fridge J). 



This is a great dish if you have other things on the go.  The actual active time is quite limited, consisting of scrubbing the beets, drying them off and tossing them, skins on, with several garlic cloves.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and then toss it in the oven at 425 and leave it until they are tender – approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours depending on the size of your beets.
My biggest tip, if you want to avoid pinky/purpley hands, is to use latex gloves when peeling the beets!  Works like a charm every time.

Once your beets are cooked, the options are truly endless.  I included fresh basil and chives from my garden and seasoned with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.  Totally simple, yet really yummy.  I often crumble in some feta or goat cheese, but didn't have any on hand.  If you happen to have some goat cheese, it is quite delish to stir it in while the beets are still warm – makes for a really creamy and sumptuous dressing.

Enjoy!

 Roasted Beet & Garlic Salad w/ Fresh Herbs

Serves 4

Preparation Time – 15 Minutes
Cooking Time – 1 ½ Hours

Ingredients

  • 15 small beets
  • 6 cloves garlic – skins left on
  • 1 Tsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 chives – snipped into small pieces
  • Good handful of basil – julienned
  • Salt & pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425˚.
  2. Prepare a large sheet of aluminum foil and add the beets and garlic to the center.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Wrap tightly and wrap again in a second sheet of aluminum foil.  Place on a baking sheet (to catch any drippings) and bake for 1 ½ hours, or until fully cooked and tender.  Allow to rest wrapped in the foil for an additional 30 minutes.
  3. Remove the garlic skins and add to a medium bowl.
  4. Remove the beet skins and cut into small pieces and add to the garlic.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and toss in the chives, basil and salt and pepper.  Toss to coat and serve immediately, or store in the fridge for later use.

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