Monday, June 25, 2012

Summer Beet Stacks

Are you a fan of beets?  I have to admit... they had to grow on me.  Growing up my mom LOVED them, my dad not so much, and me and my brothers - well - we were on the fence.  That is until a few years ago when I was introduced to roasted beets.  I fell in love with their intensely earthy, sweet flavor.  Plus their gorgeous red and sometimes vibrant yellow and orange coloring makes them pop on any plate.

Beets are a root vegetable known as beetroot or garden beets and they have been cultivated for centuries.  The tasty roots date as far back as 8th century BC Babylonia.  Aristotle even wrote about the ruby lovelies.  
Traditionally the dark-red roots are boiled, served cold over salads, or pickled (which I hate!).  In Eastern Europe they are one of the main ingredients in the popular cold soup: borsch. 

For me - roasting is the best way to prepare beets and so simple do.  This recipe makes a wonderful side to any summer meal!!  


SUMMER BEET STACKS
Makes 4 beet stacks
Ingredients
  • 4 beets, small to medium sized
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup walnut oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
  • salt & pepper

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
  2. Scrub, rinse and pat beets dry then rub with a small amount of olive oil and wrap tightly in foil (two beets per foil packet).  Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until beets are tender and easily pierced with a knife.  Allow to slightly cool then carefully remove skin.  (The beets will stain your hands and clothing! So I use rubber gloves.)  Set aside.
  3. In a small, dry frying pan toast walnuts until slightly browned.  Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar and walnut oil then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.
  5. Once skin is removed slice beets width-wise into three or four sections (depending on the size of the beet.)  
  6. In layers, alternate beet slices and crumbled goat cheese.  Drizzle stacks with balsamic walnut oil vinaigrette, fresh thyme leaves and the toasted walnuts.  Enjoy.

16 comments:

  1. Really visually appealing. I love the stacks! Of course, the vibrant color of beets is always a pretty sight.
    Anyways, your phenomenal photos have caught our attention, we have been in the lookout for unique and interesting bloggers since we have launched our food photo gallery http://www.yumgoggle.com/gallery/ This will allow you to showcase all your great work and share it with our visitors. We’d be proud to have your work as part of our growing collection to continue to have a larger reach and further inspire all fellow food lovers out there!

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  2. These really do look absolutely delicious!! I've been on a beet craze not only because they taste so good and fresh but because they also bring so much color and life to any meal! This definitely inspired a new meal for me to try out this week!

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  3. A real beet-lover lives in my vegetarian house. Trying these today!

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  4. We grilled the beets and it was so amazing. My mother who is a chef was so impressed! Thanks for the great recipe.

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  5. Nice recipe and very nice photo:-) GRT:-)

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  6. I made these as a first course at Christmas dinner and my inlaws absolutely loved them. Thanks!

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  7. I love beets ... and this new way of preparing them! Lovely ...

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  8. All sounds DELISH,please keep the recepies coming. I've just bought a new 900 cm gas upright cooker,so am excited to experiment. Loving your Blog, regards Wendy

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  9. Thanks for that great recipe! love beetroot! cheers, Maria

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  10. I'm new to eating beets and this will be my first time cooking them. I'm very excited to try this recipe. I'm wondering, do you think olive or coconut oil will work instead of walnut oil? I don't have any and hate to run to the store just for oil. lol

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  11. I made this recipe earlier this year, got it out of Southwest magazine when I went to Houston. Let me tell you, it's FANTASTIC. I don't recall the source of the recipe in the magazine, but it had to be yours because it used the same pictures. LOL.

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    1. Or it was a recipe an AWFUL lot like this one and I'm confused on the pictures. Either way, I did make this with my mother and it was so very, very delicious. If people say they don't like beets, they haven't tried them roasted.

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  12. Really lovely visually and a brilliant idea for a starter, as long as guests all like beetroot that is!

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  13. I love beets and this was so easy and looked good on the plate.......the entire dish was out of this world good......

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  14. I can't wait to try this out....I love beets.

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