BEET SALAD

I RARELY SERVE BEETS AS A SIDE DISH.  SOMEHOW THEY'RE TOO AGGRESSIVE.  THEY EVEN LOOK AGGRESSIVE.  BUT I LOVE THEM AS A FIRST COURSE SALAD AND I LOVE BEET SOUP, BOTH BORSHT AND ITS MORE REFINED ITERATIONS.  THEY'RE NOT A LOT OF FUN TO WORK WITH.  THEY STAIN YOUR HANDS.  THAT PROBLEM IS EASILY SOLVED WITH DISPOSABLE RUBBER GLOVES.  YOU CAN PEEL AND BOIL THEM, BUT I PREFER ROASTING WHICH CONCENTRATES THEIR FLAVOR.  THEY CAN BE SERVED WITH A VARIETY OF DRESSINGS.  THIS RECIPE INCORPORATES ORANGE PEEL, A BIT OF ORANGE JUICE AND FRESH DILL.  FRESHLY-GRATED HORSERADISH IS ANOTHER GREAT OFFSET TO THEIR SWEETNESS.  EXPERIMENT.  YOU MIGHT COME UP WITH SOMETHING EVEN BETTER ON YOUR OWN.  

 6 MEDIUM BEETS, RED, GOLDEN OR BOTH
 SHERRY WINE VINEGAR
 1 ORANGE
 VARIETY OF SMALL BUTTER LETTUCES
 FRESH DILL
 PAIR OF DISPOSABLE RUBBER GLOVES.
1

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350º

LINE A CAST IRON SKILLET WITH ALUMINUM FOIL LEAVING A GENEROUS LENGTH ON BOTH SIDES. ARRANGE THE BEETS IN THE PAN. DRIZZLE WITH OLIVE OIL. SPRINKLE WITH COARSE SALT. POKE A FEW HOLES IN THE BEETS WITH A SHARP FORK.

FOLD THE BEETS IN THE FOIL. ROAST IN THE OVEN FOR 45 TO 60 MINUTES OR UNTIL THEY ARE EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP FORK.

REMOVE FROM THE OVEN AND DRIZZLE WITH A FEW TBSPS OF SHERRY VINEGAR. ALLOW TO COOL.

DON YOUR RUBBER GLOVES AND REMOVE THE SKIN UNDER RUNNING WATER.

USE A VEGETABLE PEELER TO REMOVE THE SKIN OF THE ORANGE. TRY TO AVOID THE WHITE PITH BENEATH. WITH A SHARP KNIFE, SLICE THE PEEL INTO THIN JULIENNE STRIPS. (YOU CAN ALSO BUY A VEGETABLE PEELER WHICH DOES JUST THAT.)

SPRINKLE SALT AND GRIND PEPPER INTO A BOWL LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD THE BEETS. WHISK IN 2 TBPS OF VINEGAR, THE ORANGE PEEL AND THE JUICE OF HALF THE ORANGE. SLOWLY WHISK IN ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF OLIVE OIL.

SLICE THE BEETS LENGTHWISE IN HALF, THEN IN 1/2-INCH HALF MOONS. TOSS WITH THE DRESSING. LET SIT ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING SO THE BEETS ABSORB THE DRESSING.

WASH AND DRY THE LETTUCES. DIVIDE AMONG SIX PLATES.

NESTLE THE BEETS AMONG THE LETTUCES. GARNISH WITH CHOPPED DILL.

SERVES 6

Ingredients

 6 MEDIUM BEETS, RED, GOLDEN OR BOTH
 SHERRY WINE VINEGAR
 1 ORANGE
 VARIETY OF SMALL BUTTER LETTUCES
 FRESH DILL
 PAIR OF DISPOSABLE RUBBER GLOVES.

Directions

1

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350º

LINE A CAST IRON SKILLET WITH ALUMINUM FOIL LEAVING A GENEROUS LENGTH ON BOTH SIDES. ARRANGE THE BEETS IN THE PAN. DRIZZLE WITH OLIVE OIL. SPRINKLE WITH COARSE SALT. POKE A FEW HOLES IN THE BEETS WITH A SHARP FORK.

FOLD THE BEETS IN THE FOIL. ROAST IN THE OVEN FOR 45 TO 60 MINUTES OR UNTIL THEY ARE EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP FORK.

REMOVE FROM THE OVEN AND DRIZZLE WITH A FEW TBSPS OF SHERRY VINEGAR. ALLOW TO COOL.

DON YOUR RUBBER GLOVES AND REMOVE THE SKIN UNDER RUNNING WATER.

USE A VEGETABLE PEELER TO REMOVE THE SKIN OF THE ORANGE. TRY TO AVOID THE WHITE PITH BENEATH. WITH A SHARP KNIFE, SLICE THE PEEL INTO THIN JULIENNE STRIPS. (YOU CAN ALSO BUY A VEGETABLE PEELER WHICH DOES JUST THAT.)

SPRINKLE SALT AND GRIND PEPPER INTO A BOWL LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD THE BEETS. WHISK IN 2 TBPS OF VINEGAR, THE ORANGE PEEL AND THE JUICE OF HALF THE ORANGE. SLOWLY WHISK IN ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF OLIVE OIL.

SLICE THE BEETS LENGTHWISE IN HALF, THEN IN 1/2-INCH HALF MOONS. TOSS WITH THE DRESSING. LET SIT ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING SO THE BEETS ABSORB THE DRESSING.

WASH AND DRY THE LETTUCES. DIVIDE AMONG SIX PLATES.

NESTLE THE BEETS AMONG THE LETTUCES. GARNISH WITH CHOPPED DILL.

SERVES 6

BEET SALAD
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2 thoughts on “BEET SALAD

  1. What a Godsend to see a recipe from you today! And a simple one with all the things I love! (your yummy beet salad). I have a wonderful Iron skillet that I haven’t used in years. Took it out last week to quick seer some gorgeous scallops (as an experiment). So successful that I did it a second time. Then to see the way you roast beets in the skillet gave me another reason not to put that pan away. Tonight I seared Salmon. The pan seems to be foolproof!!
    Just seeing your logo elevated my spirits. Between the post Covid19 syndrome , and 10 minutes of Trump’s first night convention, I’ve been truly dispirited (actually depressed and frightened). So good to see something bright, shiny and tasty in the midst of all of this mayhem! Thanks!

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