Oh boy, it feels like forever since my last post - almost a month, craziness! Between a long 4th of July weekend at my sister in laws family camp on the lake in Maine, a trip to Chicago for a work conference and lazy summer days there hasn't seemed to be much time for posting. Coupled with unbelievable hot summer days I just have not had the motivation. However that did not last long, at the market I came across the most beautiful rainbow beets from Sanborn Mills Farm. I tell you, week after week they lure me in with their beautiful produce- absolute food porn.
Growing up I very rarely turned my nose up at any fruit and vegetable, however I didn't learn to appreciate the beet until recently. Beets are now one of my favorite veggies- from golden, Chioggia to bulls blood each one has earned a seat at my table any day of the year. Roasting beets is my favorite way to enjoy their earthy goodness- charred roasted beets are even better.
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Baby Bok Choi micro greens are new to the garden- sown in mid July the little greens were ready to be thinned out and just begging to be put to good use. Good use= this light & simple summer salad.
At least I think the micros are bok choi, I have an awful habit of sowing seeds and not labeling them. The micro-greens are either Bok Choi or Arugula- either one will work. The garden is full of surprises this year!
The beets are roasted on the grill until charred- about 30-45 minutes. I took this opportunity to lug out the loungers (more accurately Justin lugged them out) to sunbathe and read my current book Stern Men by Elizabeth Berg. The time flew by, I got some good reading time and sunshine in, all while keeping the house cool. Alternatively if you do not have access to a grill, they can easily be roasted in the oven.
Once the beets have cooled, they are peeled & trimmed then plated with a fresh basil lemon dressing & chopped roasted pistachios. The entire dish screams summer- light, bright and flavorful. The dish can easily be made and assembled a day in advance, the portions are perfect for a starter to an intimate summer dinner. If looking to serve a crowd, the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled - the salad serves well cold or at room temp making this the ideal dish to share at a potluck or an awesome addition to a summer picnic.
I never had a beet that tasted like dirt, over the years I have heard many comments from people stating "beets taste like dirt" maybe they were not washed well? I will agree they are very earthy, but dirt? Nah, I don't get that vibe from beets.
What have you been up to this summer- are you cherishing long lazy summer days by the pool, lake or in your backyard? I feel simply lighter this time of year, I breathe easier and definitely go with the flow a bit more. Here in the Northeast, winter can take up almost half the year- I for one am taking advantage of every beautiful summer day there is.
Charred Rainbow Beet & Pistachio Salad
serves 2 as an appetizer ~ easily doubled
you will need:
serves 2 as an appetizer ~ easily doubled
you will need:
2 small bunches rainbow beets, trimmed & washed- larger beets cut in half
(about 8 small-medium beets)
Canola oil for beets
basil lemon olive oil*
2 cups loosely packed basil- I used purple & regular basil
scant 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 juice of lemon
pinch of kosher salt
(about 8 small-medium beets)
Canola oil for beets
basil lemon olive oil*
2 cups loosely packed basil- I used purple & regular basil
scant 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 juice of lemon
pinch of kosher salt
1 tbsp chopped Pistachios
1 cup of Micro Greens
Citrus Herb Salt - optional
assembly:
scrub & trim beets, toss with about 1 - 2 teaspoons of canola oil until lightly coated. Place beets on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with foil and roast on the grill for about 30-45 minutes until beets are a little charred and soft (grill thermostat should be between 350-400*, if roasting in the oven roast at 350*)
Remove beets from grill, keep cover and allow to cool until beets can easily be handled. Peel skin off the beets & discard the skins. Quarter or half the roasted beets, set aside.
To make the basil olive oil, place all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combine.
On two small plates, drizzle a bit of the basil olive oil on the bottom of each plate. Place a small amount of micro greens on each plate, arrange half of the beets on each plate, sprinkle with citrus herb salt & pistachios, top each plate with the remaining micro greens.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Can be made and plated up to 1 day ahead.
Enjoy!
*recipe makes enough for 6 servings
Citrus Herb Salt - optional
assembly:
scrub & trim beets, toss with about 1 - 2 teaspoons of canola oil until lightly coated. Place beets on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with foil and roast on the grill for about 30-45 minutes until beets are a little charred and soft (grill thermostat should be between 350-400*, if roasting in the oven roast at 350*)
Remove beets from grill, keep cover and allow to cool until beets can easily be handled. Peel skin off the beets & discard the skins. Quarter or half the roasted beets, set aside.
To make the basil olive oil, place all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combine.
On two small plates, drizzle a bit of the basil olive oil on the bottom of each plate. Place a small amount of micro greens on each plate, arrange half of the beets on each plate, sprinkle with citrus herb salt & pistachios, top each plate with the remaining micro greens.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Can be made and plated up to 1 day ahead.
Enjoy!
*recipe makes enough for 6 servings
these photos are gorgeous, heather! i don't think i ever had a beet until i started cooking(3 years ago) and was blown away by how much i loved them! this dish looks so earthy, summery, and all around delicious. and pistachios make everything just a little bit better ;)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you- I love beets year round on just about anything!
DeleteGorgeous salad! I love how colourful it is!
ReplyDeleteThank you! The colors just pop and are so vibrant :)
DeleteI'm with you - take advantage of what little summertime we have and spend the days relaxing and enjoying the sunshine! I tend to forget about beets in the summer, and then when I do get around to roasting some or eating them raw, I'm reminded how much I love them! Those rainbow ones are so pretty, especially when paired with light greens.
ReplyDeleteSummer just goes by way to quickly for my liking - there is nothing better than a bunch of pretty rainbow beets!
DeleteWow those beets are just gorgeous! Beautiful photos :) This salad sounds perfect for summer, and I was just looking at a bag of pistachios in the cabinet telling myself I needed to use them!
ReplyDeletePistachios are my all time fave nut- they are so pretty and tasty!
Deleteoooh rainbow beets! what a gorgeous recipe!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! So nice to hear from you :) Hope all is well!
DeleteYou have such a way of bringing out the beauty in fresh ingredients. I love this :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Miss Gabby!
DeleteThis marvelous Salad, my friend, truly showcases all the colors of rainbow :)
ReplyDeleteFreshness all over :)
So pretty isn't!
DeleteNormally I see a lot of beet recipes using basalmic vinegar, especially for roasting them. This is a nice alternative and looks equally sweet.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteGorgeous! This salad sounds supremely delicious. I absolutely adore beets, and can't understand when people say they taste like dirt. Clearly they've never had them roasted or char-grilled! Speaking of which, I'm totally jealous of your grill... I plan to get one at the end of the season, so next year I won't be stuck trying to figure out alternative cooking methods to not heat up the house!
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE our grill, it is a lifesaver during the hot & humid summer months!
Deletewow.. this is like the food you would see at Noma in Copehagen..
ReplyDeleteThank you Adele!
DeleteOMG - Gorgeousness!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteSimply stunning - who could ever make beets look so sexy? ;)
Hahaha they are pretty sexy aren't they!
Deleteps. thank you for sharing it at the last Potluck Party....
ReplyDeletehttp://pureella.com/pure-potluck-party-summer-round-up-vegan-glutenfree-recipes/
xoxo
Thank you for hosting sweet lady!
DeleteThis is SUCH a gorgeous salad!!! Oh my goodness--your photos are so beautiful. Just discovered your site and can't wait to stick around and check out more :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind comment Laura- glad to have you as a Friend of SMBP!
DeleteFrom mini farm to plate; micro greens are excellent
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