the incredible edible beet

I've slowly but surely become obsessed with beets.  Not the canned, pickled, slightly-tinny-tasting sort of vegetable, but the home-roasted variety.  The deep red is beautiful, the texture is firm but soft, and the taste is sweet, warm, and earthy. Not convinced yet?   What if I told you that beets are also super cheap and extraordinarily healthy?  Beets are high in folate, manganese, and potassium, and also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and magnesium (wikipedia and google are the sources of that info!). So here's my recipe for roasted beets, complete with pictures.


Step 1:
Wash those dirty beets! Get as much of the dirt off as you can.  While you're at it, chop off the stems and the greens. Set 'em aside for later (they are excellent sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic). As you pat the beets dry, turn your oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. 

Step 2:
Wrap the beets in foil so that they're completely covered (we don't want beet juice covering the oven!).

Step 3:
Pop the beet-packet into your oven. Set your timer for an hour, and go do something fun.


Step 4:
Take them out! Stick them in the sink for minimal beet-juice-damage to your counter, and run them under cold water. 


Step 5:
After the beets have cooled, you'll be able to rub the skins off easily with your hands. In addition, since those bad boys are in the sink, they won't dye the rest of your kitchen a lovely shade of pinky-purple.


Step 6:
Cut them up! Toss them with some olive oil, a little salt, and your favorite vinegar (I like balsamic, while others swear by red wine). If you feel fancy, toss in some feta cheese and black olives, OR add some capers, pickles, and goat cheese. Saute those leftover beet greens, and you have yourself a delicious dish.

Step 7:
Eat 'em up!