A simple and easy way to roast fresh summer heirloom beets. Roasting coaxes out the root's natural sweetness making them a perfect side to a light summer meal or a fantastic topper to an easy salad.
Beets are often categorized as a winter root served best when boiled or roasted as a hot side or chilled garnish to a salad. But for some reason, beets grow beautifully in southern Louisiana during the late spring months, and I’m always jumping at the opportunity to pick up a crate from the Saturday Farmer’s Market.
I recently had dinner with Jon Barry in which he ordered a steak, I ordered a salad, and he, to my passionate entreaties, ordered a side of heirloom beets. Jon hadn’t eaten the root in over ten years, and I wish I could have captured the look on his face when, fork in hand, his eyes widened, and he exclaimed, “these are divine!” Most people forget that beets are naturally sweet and when prepared correctly, can taste something akin to candy.
I’m not 100% certain what makes these beets “heirloom”–although it’s been explained to me that, quote, “it’s what the pilgrims used to eat”–I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the root’s unadulterated variety. Heirloom beets are vibrantly colored, naturally sweet, and come in several variations (the gold being the prettiest in my humble blogging opinion).
This recipe calls for a slow in roast in a hot oven, a technique that creates a self-caramelizing hot bed you can use when preparing the root. Simply wash, dry, and pop in the oven and allow time to do the work for you.
Whether you’re a longtime beet lover (as seen here and here), or one Jon Barry, you’ll find these beets go great warm from the oven or chilled on a summer salad. —Helana Brigman
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