I Got Beeten
Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a severe aversion to beets. This aversion started at a salad bar when I was a kid. I thought this pretty red food was something sweet and when I bit into it, I was very very shocked to taste that strange vinegary earthy flavor. That was my first and last time eating beets for many many years. In culinary school, we cooked a ton of recipes containing beets. I found out those dastardly things were considered “delicacies” and could be found in most fine dining establishments. So I would cook them, but I refused to eat them. Now, I’m not a namby pamby when it comes to trying food. I’ve eaten almost anything you can think of, from frog legs to alligator to most (edible) internal organs found in a cow.
Last month when we had lunch at Novecento, I really wanted the salad that had some of my favorite things… arugula, blue cheese, tomatoes… and beets. I hate to be “that person” in a restaurant that gets food special ordered, especially in fine dining. So I ordered it… with the beets. I started eating the arugula and other goodies, and then ate one brunoise sized cube of beet. It wasn’t bad. Actually, it was quite good. Just like that… my relationship with beets has changed. I’ve made them at home several times now, and I’m glad its opened up a whole new color for me! Clearly I eat with my eyes first, so color is important to me! This salad is a bouquet of color with amazing organic veggies from Josh’s Organic Market on Hollywood Beach.
Roasted Beet Salad Recipe
3 small beets, around 1 pound
olive oil
champagne vinegar (or other type)
2 c arugula
1 c baby spinach
8-12 cherry tomatoes
cheese (blue, goat, feta… etc)
1/4 c nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
pumpkin seed oil (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and then pierce each beat several times with the tip of a sharp knife. Wrap each beet in a piece of aluminum foil and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender. Let cool about 30 minutes and then peel by rubbing off the skins under running water.
2. Dice the beets into cubes. Add a little salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar to the beets (to taste) and let sit for at least a half hour. If you have pumpkin seed oil, add a few drops of it to the beets.
3. Place the arugula and baby spinach in a bowl and toss with a little olive oil. vinegar, salt and pepper. You can also use prepared vinaigrette, but I prefer to keep it simple. Arrange the greens, tomatoes, cheese, nuts and beets on the plate and give an extra drizzle of olive oil.
Makes 2 servings as a dinner salad, or 4 as a side salad.
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Gorgeous beets!
Beautiful colour,your salat looks like a piture !
This salad looks very lovely!
There is such a difference between evil canned beets and those beautiful ones you have going on there! Fabulous.
Mmmmmm… I have a weakness for beets, especially in salads.
I love beets. That’s all. Moving on. :)
I’ve never liked beets either. I’m still not there. Although I put pureed roasted beets in my chocolate cake. I know, right? But it gives it this uh-mazing color and slight tang. I guess I need to be a grown-up and try my beets again. Thanks for the challenge.
Those tomatoes are gorgeous! Well, so are the beets and beets and goat cheese are two of my favorite combinations. Great photos.
That one baby tomato in the salad has such a beautiful purply rich colour. Where did you get those? The’re so pretty.
The tomatoes came from Josh’s Organic Market in Hollywood FL. They always have amazing heirloom tomatoes.
um. i love canned pickled beets. still in the can. and doused with way too much salt. mmmm. love your photos—-and your blog is very cute. :)
Beautiful! I’m a fan of beets, and this salad looks fantastic.
My husband is another beet eater while I can’t get enough of them! Since a trip to that restaurant would be difficult I will try your recipes on him! Looks beautiful!
lovely pictures.
I felt the same about beets for a long time. Then I went to a food retreat where the chef caramelized them slowly in the oven, then made some of the BEST tasting soup I’ve ever had. Won me over, though I still haven’t made beets at home. :)
Gorgeous blog… and a lovely salad to boot.
I’m always going back and forth about beets. I never crave them, but whenever I roast one up, I wonder what I’ve been waiting for!
Hi Candace, its Diana, from Israel, i like a recipe, and a picture is a beautiful, if you a yery hungry, you can eat a picture, i visit your site, i like this ans i want to make .
iam sorry, about my language, if you understand me, its ok.
mabey someday we meet , in israel, kisses to the dogs, and my nephew stephan, and you, see you Diana
Gorgeous salad! I love beets!
the color of those photos.. stunning.
How funny. I have never really liked beets, either, but I’m hoping that someday I will. When that day comes I will give this recipe a try!
I had a similar experience with beets–I was served a beet and goat cheese salad at a dinner party, and I decided to force some down (and I do love goat cheese) and to my great surprise, the beets weren’t half bad! Now I quite like them…but still only with goat cheese! Still working on broadening my horizons on that one!
Great recipe. I tried it last night and my son loved it. Also, if you like cherries in your recipes, I found a company that is giving away a free tart cherry recipe ebook. You can download your free copy from Traverse Bay Farms. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.traversebayfarms.com