to market: beets

June 6, 2011/

I don’t know how this happened but until very recently I had never had a beet. I know, shocking, right? Okay, but really – how have I never tried one? And there is no one in my family who eats them either. My mom never served them when I was growing up and as they are not the most appealing looking item at the market stand I never felt compelled to check them out.

But I did promise to broaden my horizons this season (as well as my palate), and when our farmers market manager suggested this salad I decided to “give beets a chance”.

Sorry.

And I’m happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. The salad was not only delicious, it looked very pretty on the plate and my whole non-beet-eating family enjoyed it too.

Let me know what you think!

Mesclun Salad with Roasted Baby Beets and Queso Blanco
recipe contributed by Pascale Le Draoulec

Mesclun mix – I used a peppery variety for color as well as flavor
1 lb baby beets – a single variety or an assortment (which would look even prettier, I imagine)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for dressing
4 oz. queso blanco, crumbled*
2 lemons
Salt and  pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400.

Place beets on a sheet of tin foil and drizzle with the 2 T. of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap beets in foil to create a packet, crimping the edges to seal. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes till beets are easily pierced with the tip of a knife. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into wedges.

Place salad mix on individual plates and top with some of the beets and queso blanco. Drizzle with a little olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.

* we are lucky enough at our little market to have this vendor, who makes some of  the most incredible cheeses I’ve ever tasted. Check out their web site!

 

 

Related posts:

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4 Comments

  1. Paula Fung on June 9, 2011 at 7:15 pm

    Hi Sheri,
    I am also happy to see beets at our local farmer’s market! And I cook them exactly the same way, although I slice them instead of cutting into wedges as I am obsessed with the circles! I am new to your blog, but I love that it is both cooking and gardening. Looking forward to more!
    Paula
    http://www.ryecooks.typepad.com



    • sheri silver on June 9, 2011 at 8:54 pm

      Thank you Paula! Just took a look at your blog – I’m in Westchester too! When is your show on?



      • Paula Fung on June 10, 2011 at 8:30 am

        It is only on the Public Access channel for Rye, but here is the link for the latest show and on the blog you can click on the tv icon for the previous show. http://ryeny.swagit.com/play/05102011-95/0/

        Hope your garden survived the storm!
        Paula



        • sheri silver on June 10, 2011 at 1:51 pm

          Thanks – will definitely check it out. Garden is fine but time to cut back the nepeta, which got flattened………..(but made it in my next post!) 🙂



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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!