ROASTED BEET SALAD
Roasted beets are healthy and delicious and can be presented in many creative ways. But they can be messy! Enjoy learning how to roast beets the clean way.
One of the most popular methods for roasting beets starts with trimming the crown and taproot then giving them a good scrubbing followed by wrapping them whole in foil. This time tested approach is fine yet it tends to get a bit messy when the beets are done. Although the skin is easy to remove it will make a mess of your kitchen towels, not to mention your hands!
An easier way is to trim the crown and taproot then remove the skin with a potato peeler before roasting. This way, the only thing that you will stain…is your hands!
Once the skin is removed cube the beets, toss in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, freshly ground pepper and chili flakes. Spread the cubed beets on a sheet pan, cover with foil and roast at 375 degrees to the desired doneness. By cubing the beets they also cooked considerably faster and are easier to check for doneness. Simply lift a corner of the foil and test a cube with a toothpick. It’s that easy.
As with all vegetables, start with the freshest beets you can find. Firmness is a good indicator of a healthy beet. If the beets are soft to the touch try this method on some carrots or parsnips instead!
Once roasted, simply plate the beets, drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and top with crumbled feta or goat cheese and your favorite garnish.
Bon Appetit!
Chef Jimmy
