balsamic rosemary roasted root vegetables

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/balsamic-rosemary-roasted-root-vegetables

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 large parsnips, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 3 small beets, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 turnip, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 small rutabaga, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Add parsnip and next 4 ingredients; toss until vegetables are well coated. Add salt and pepper, and toss again.
4. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Stir vegetables, and bake 15 more minutes or until slightly crisp and golden but tender.

beet-and-tomato soup with cumin 

Benjamin Leroux's terrific soup is an unexpected mix of beets, tomatoes and tomato paste; it has the flavor of a light borscht.

ingredients

• 1 pound medium beets
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
• 1 quart vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

how to make this recipe

1. In a large saucepan, cover the beets with water. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until tender, about 1 hour; if necessary, add more water to keep the beets covered. Drain the beets and let cool slightly, then peel and coarsely chop. 
2. Wipe out the saucepan and heat the olive oil in it. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped beets, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon of cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the vegetable stock and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. 
3. Puree the soup in batches in a food processor. Rewarm the soup in the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. 
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with dollops of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with a little cumin and the parsley and serve.

Root veggie slaw

For a hot weather root veggie salad, try this Root Veggie Slaw from Splendid Table. 

Ingredients

• 1 small celery root (about 12 ounces)
• 4 medium parsnips (8 ounces)
• 2 carrots (8 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon finely slivered Meyer lemon, lemon, or orange zest
• 8 ounces yellow or red beets

Fragrant Hazelnut Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (preferably organic), or to taste
• Kosher salt to taste
• Pinch of sugar
• 2-1/2 tablespoons roasted hazelnut or walnut oil, or fruity extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon warm water
• Freshly ground black peppee

Instructions

1. Slice and combine the vegetables. Peel the celery root, parsnips, and carrots. Use a mandoline or Benriner or a box grater to julienne or coarsely grate them. Place in a large bowl and toss with the zest. Peel and grate the beets; place in a separate bowl.
2. Dress the vegetables.In a small bowl, combine the cider vinegar, salt, and sugar. Whisk in the nut oil and water. Toss the root vegetables and the beets separately with some of the dressing and salt and pepper to taste; add additional vinegar if necessary.
3. Add the beets or other embellishments. Nestle the beets in a mound slightly off center in the root vegetable slaw. Serve at once.

From The Improvisational Cook by Sally Schneider (William Morrow, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2006). Copyright 2006 by Sally Schneider. All rights reserved.

Garlicky Roasted Beets, Leeks and Eggplant

Recipe by scaron

Ingredients

• 1 bunch leeks, halved, washed well and cut into 2 inch chunks
• 1 bunch beets, washed and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1eggplant, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil (or heavy duty aluminum foil spayed with cooking oil spray).
3. Combine the leeks, beets, eggplant and garlic on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and stir well. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

roasted parsnips and beets with sheep’s feta and tarragon

• Beet
• Parsnips
• Salt
• Sheep’s Feta Cheese
• A few sprigs of fresh tarragon (You could use basil, thyme, oregano…)
• Olive Oil

1. Set oven to 350. Chop the vegs – if you’re using the stove top method, cut them smaller than if you’re using the oven as this will reduce cooking time hugely. Salt lightly. Cook for about 45 minutes until tender. 
2. Heat some oil (I used olive oil) and toss in a few sprigs of fresh herbs. Turn off heat and let it sit a few minutes to allow the oil to absorb the herb’s flavor.
3. Place the vegs in a dish, toss the feta on top, drizzle the oil over the whole thing, top with the wilted herbs.

- See more at: http://www.thesweetbeet.com/roasted-parsnips/#sthash.R7bOoXzR.dpuf

Beet and Carrot Quick Slaw

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Cracked black pepper
• 1 pound beets, peeled and shredded, about 3 medium beets
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and shredded, about 3 carrots
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley leaves

Directions

1. In a small non-reactive bowl whisk together Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, celery seed, sugar, salt and olive oil. Season with pepper. Place beets, carrots and parsley in large serving bowl, pour dressing over salad, toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beet-and-carrot-quick-slaw-recipe.html?oc=linkback

blood orange, beet, and fennel salad

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Blood-Orange-Beet-and-Fennel-Salad-378345

yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Our fresh take on the classic Moroccan salad pairs shaved fennel and red onion with assorted beets and oranges for color contrast.

ingredients

• 2 medium red beets, tops trimmed
• 2 medium golden beets, tops trimmed
• 3 blood oranges
• 1 medium navel orange (preferably Cara Cara)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced crosswise on a mandoline
• 1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced on a mandoline (about 1/3 cup)
• Good-quality extra-virgin olive, pumpkin seed, or walnut oil (for drizzling)
• Coarse sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro and/or chervil leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Wash beets, leaving some water on skins. Wrap individually in foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from all oranges; discard. Working over a medium bowl, cut between membranes of 2 blood oranges to release segments into bowl; squeeze juice from membranes into bowl and discard membranes. Slice remaining blood orange and Cara Cara orange crosswise into thin rounds. Place sliced oranges in bowl with the segments. Add lemon juice and lime juice.
3. Peel cooled beets. Slice 2 beets crosswise into thin rounds. Cut remaining 2 beets into wedges. Strain citrus juices; reserve. Layer beets and oranges on plates, dividing evenly. Arrange fennel and onion over beets. Spoon reserved citrus juices over, then drizzle salad generously with oil. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and pepper. Let salad stand for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Garnish salad with cilantro leaves.

baked beet greens recipe

Yield: Serves 2

Total Time: 45 min

ingredients:

• About 1 large bunch of beets greens
• olive oil
• kosher or sea salt
• fresh cracked black pepper

directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line one or two baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Wash beet greens and blot with towels to remove excess water. Remove inner rib of beet stems if they are thick and tough. Smaller, more tender beet greens can be baked with the inner rib intact.
3. Add all the beet greens in a large bowl. Start by tossing or spraying about 1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time, making sure the beet greens are lightly coated with oil. But do not over oil the leaves or they will become too greasy when baked.
4. Lay the beet greens in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and pepper over beet greens to taste. Season on both sides of the beet leaves.
5. Bake the beet greens for about 15 minutes, turn the beet greens and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the greens are crisp.

Apple and Raw Beet Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

• 1 pound beets, peeled

• 1 large Granny Smith apple, or similar flavored and textured apple

• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse grain salt

• 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. In a medium sized salad bowl, using your microplane grater (or the smallest holes of a cheese grater) grate fresh ginger directly into bowl, about one teaspoon. Grate beets and apples, add them to the bowl with the ginger, and toss until ginger is evenly distributed. Add sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper to bowl and toss to coat evenly. Add olive oil, stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/apple-and-raw-beet-slaw-recipe2.print.html?oc=linkback

Leeks with Beets and Walnut Dressing

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs leeks
• 2 red beets, cooked
• 2 tablespoons walnuts

For dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons walnut oil
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly grated pepper

Yield: 4 Servings

RECIPE

1. Cut off the green parts and bottom of the leeks, wash well and cook for 20 minutes in salted boiling water. Drain well and reserve.
2. Peel the cooked beets and put in blender. Add the walnuts and keep mixing while adding vinegar and oils. Season to taste.
3. Serve the lukewarm leeks on serving dish, sprinkle with parsley and pour dressing on top. Serve as an appetizer or one-course lunch.

beef, beet and cabbage borscht

Contributed by Andrew Zimmern

• ACTIVE: 45 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 4 HRS
• SERVINGS: 6 to 8

short ribs

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 pounds English-cut beef short ribs
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 8 cups beef stock, chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

borscht

• 1/2 tablespoon juniper berries
• 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 2 dill sprigs
• 2 oregano sprigs
• 2 parsley sprigs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 beets (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and diced
• 1 small rutabaga (1/2 pound), peeled and diced
• 1 leek, diced
• 1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1/2 pound carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1/2 head savoy cabbage (1 pound), cored and shredded
• Half of a 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes and their juices
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Sour cream, chopped dill and grated horseradish, for serving

1. PREPARE THE SHORT RIBS In a heavy medium pot, heat the oil. Add the short ribs and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer the short ribs to a baking sheet and let cool. Strain the broth through a fine sieve. Discard the beef bones and dice the meat.
2. MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE BORSCHT Wrap the juniper berries, peppercorns, coriander seeds, dill, oregano and parsley sprigs in a double layer of cheesecloth and tie tightly into a bundle. In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the beets, rutabaga, leek, onion, carrots, celery, cabbage and the herb-spice bundle. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the cabbage is wilted, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine and simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the strained beef broth and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in the vinegar and the chopped meat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the borscht with sour cream, chopped dill and horseradish.

Roasted Beet and Potato Soup

"This creamy beet and potato soup has a pretty color and rich flavor from roasting the potatoes and beets beforehand. The soup is thickened by blending the vegetables with an immersion blender."

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups diced peeled beets
• olive oil, divided
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place the potatoes and beets into a baking dish, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and black pepper.
2. Roast in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour; allow to cool.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, and stir in the celery, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in the cooked vegetables, chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf, bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Simmer until the celery is very tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and discard the bay leaf. Puree the mixture in the pot with an immersion blender until very well blended; stir in the milk and lemon juice to serve.

Beet and Goat Cheese Tartlets

(oh my gosh, I wish I had time to make these. )

http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2008/09/perfect-portion-chioggia-beet-and-goat.html

For the dough, use any basic pâte brisée such as this one (dough for one 9 inch pie will make 4-5 tartlets)

For the filling

• 4-5 beets (Chioggia are beautiful but standard beets would be nice too), drizzled with olive oil, wrapped in foil and roasted in the oven at 350˚ for ~45 minutes or until a knife easily passes through them)
• 5 oz goat cheese
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, well washed
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme plus one spring thyme to garnish each tart
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Press dough inside fluted mini tart pans (~4.5 inch diameter) with removable bottoms. Roll rolling pin over tops of tarts to cut off any dough above the edges. Prick dough with a fork in several places. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Place parchment paper inside tart pans, covering sides and fill with pie weights. Blind bake for 25 minutes until dough is a golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. While tart shells are blind baking, slice leeks into thin rounds and sauté over medium/medium low heat with a splash of olive oil, small pat of butter and sprinkle of salt and pepper until they are soft and translucent. Mix ~1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves, and a sprinkle of pepper into goat cheese. Stir to soften the cheese.
3. When beets are cool enough to handle, remove skins and slice very thinly and evenly, ideally using a mandolin.
4. When tart shells come out of oven, fill bottoms with sautéed leeks and then dot goat cheese evenly on top, using your finger or a fork to gently distribute the cheese.
5. Bake tarts for ~10 minutes until cheese has softened. Remove from oven and neatly place beet slices on the top, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with remaining teaspoon chopped thyme leaves and heat in oven until warm, ~5-7 minutes, taking care to ensure beets do not dry out.
6. Remove from pie pans, garnish with a spring of thyme and serve with a green salad.

http://markbittman.com/recipe/raw-beet-salad/

Raw Beet Salad

• 1 to 11/2 pounds beets, preferably small
• 2 large shallots
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry or other good strong vinegar
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon, minced, if available
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

1. Peel the beets and shallots. Combine them in a food processor and pulse carefully until the beets are shredded; do not purée. (Or grate the beets by hand and mince the shallots, then combine.) Scrape into a bowl.
2. Toss with the salt, pepper, mustard, oil and vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Toss in the herbs and serve.

Raw Beet Salad with Cabbage and Orange. Quite nice-looking: Use equal parts beet and cabbage, about 8 ounces of each. Shred the beets (with the shallot) as directed; shred the cabbage by hand or by using the slicing disk of the food processor. Add 1 navel orange (including its juice), peeled and roughly chopped.

Raw Beet Salad with Carrot and Ginger. Ginger and beets are killer together: Use equal parts beet and carrot, about 8 ounces of each. Treat the carrots as you do the beets (you can process them together), adding about a tablespoon of minced peeled ginger to the mix; omit the tarragon. Substitute peanut for olive oil, lime juice for sherry vinegar, and cilantro for parsley.

Raw Beet Salad with Yogurt Dressing. Creamy: Replace the olive oil and one of the tablespoons of vinegar with 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk or low-fat.

Grated Raw Beet Salad

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

People who swear they hate beets love this salad. It’s a North African-inspired mixture of grated, uncooked beets dressed with orange and lemon juices and a small amount of olive oil. It makes a great starter when you’re serving something robust as a main course, like a couscous.

• 1/2 pound beets
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon minced chives, mint or parsley (or a combination)
• Salt to taste
• Leaves of 1 romaine heart

1. Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler, and grate in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade.
2. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss with the beets and herbs. Season to taste with salt. Line a salad bowl or platter with romaine lettuce leaves, top with the grated beets and serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: The grated beets can be dressed and kept in the refrigerator, covered well, for a couple of days. They become more tender but don’t lose their texture, and the mixture becomes even sweeter as the beet juices mingle with the citrus. Toss again before serving.

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.