Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables.

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables. They are very nutritious & an absolutely beautiful scarlet color. Unfortunately that is also the problem with beets. Their deep red hue makes them very messy to prepare. By the time you finish peeling steaming & slicing, everything is red! A while ago a friend shared with me this simple & relatively mess free way to roast beets. Once you try it you’ll be preparing this delicious vegetable more often. Slice them up in a salad with goat cheese & micro greens. Or serve them as a delicious side dish. Enjoy!!

Preheat oven to 350. Cut off tops & ends of beets & scrub them clean. Wrap them up in foil & bake for about 2-2 .1/2 hours. Let them cool slightly & slice them up & toss them in a little butter & salt & pepper. This way they retain their flavor & nothing else you are roasting turns pink.

Borscht is a beet classic & well worth the mess. You can serve it hot or cold. I prefer cold.
32 oz. vegetable broth
2 lb. coarsely chopped beets(already cleaned, tops & bottoms removed)
1 bay leaf
½ cup orange juice

Place beets, broth & bay leaf in a large stock pot.
Bring to a boil & turn down heat.
Let simmer till beets are tender.
Take off stovetop & add orange juice & chill for a least 3 hours.
Garnish with chopped green onions, cucumbers, fresh dill or sour cream.