beet you didn't know that

We're right smack in the middle of winter, with no fresh summer produce to be found.   I'm missing summer tomatoes (I could live on caprese salad and peaches from July - September) and corn-on-the-cob terribly.   But there are lots of good winter veggie options if you're willing to try something new.    A few weeks ago, I tried rutabaga (yum) and parsnips (bleh) roasted with sweet potatoes for the first time; here is my recipe for that tasty experiment. 

I don't think I ever ate a beet until a couple of years ago, and I was surprised how much I liked them.  They're readily available, nutritious and inexpensive.  Today, I found the above beauties at my supermarket for only $1.99.  A nice change from potatoes or rice.  Roasting them brings out such a sweetness, and the underlying earthy flavor is really unique.  Probably one of those foods you either will love or hate. You can sometimes also find golden beets (usually a shade of orange), which are just as yummy and delicious when cut and served over a green salad and cheese of your choice (goat? feta?). They usually seem to be a smaller size though, so you'd need more per person.

 

All you need is:

• a bundle of beets (I usually see them sold in bundles of three), one beet per person is plenty
• foil
• olive oil
• sea salt

Cut off the beet stems and bottom roots, if there are any.  Wash well.   Do not peel. Wrap each beet in foil tightly.  Place on baking sheet, and roast in oven at 375 for 1 hour, to 1 1/2 hours until fork tender.   Remove from oven, let them cool slightly and remove foil.   Remove peel (it will be nice and soft, and come off easily).  Slice beets, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

Here's a little video I found that shows how simple it is to make them. Best of all, there's barely any clean up.  Some people use the beet greens in salad or saute those up as well. Beware, beets do stain and they do make for an interesting bathroom experience hours later.  Don't be alarmed!