Plated + Served: Roast Your Veggies… You Just Can’t Beet It!
All it took was changing the way I cooked ‘em to like ‘em.
Way back in July I wrote about beets… and how I didn’t particularly like them, but I suffered through them because they are a fave of GP. I recommended one way of cooking them, and GP loved it… though it still wasn’t enough to turn me pro-beet.
But if you roast them… my, oh my… you wind up with a little caramelization and the flavor really pops! I should have cooked them like this all along because I know so many things taste better when the vegetable’s natural sugars brown and release that rich nutty flavor.
Beets are great at this time of year, too, because they add a dash of color to our rather dull winter plates. I usually serve them cold as a salad. But, this beet recipe is delicious hot… and the anise adds another layer of flavor.
Nothing beets roasting! I just had to say it…
Warm Caramelized Beets with Anise Vinaigrette
Warm Caramelized Beets with Anise Vinaigrette
you’ll need…
8 oz. raw beets, stems and tails removed and peeled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons anise seeds
2 garlic cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
3 Tablespoons olive oil
let’s get to it…
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Cut the peeled beets into eighths.Place the beets, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper in a resealable ziplock-type plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake gently to coat.
Spread the beets out on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 20-minutes, or until fork-tender.
Mix the anise seeds, garlic, cinnamon, vinegar and olive oil on medium-high in a blender container or in a deep bowl with an immersion hand blender. Blend in 10-second bursts about 5 times. You will have bits of anise in the blended vinaigrette.
Pour the vinaigrette over the warm beets and serve immediately.
cooking know how…
This recipe can be served hot or cold. For a punch of flavor, marinate the cooked beets in the vinaigrette overnight.
Warm Caramelized Beets with Anise Vinaigrette on Red Quinoa as an Amuse Bouche
