Beets - A Loved Root Vegetable

Of all the root vegetables, my favorite for most of my life has been beets. From the piquant pickled beets of my childhood, to the robust sauteed beet greens and the delicate sweetness of lightly cooked baby beets of my adulthood, beets have held me in their thrall. It doesn't matter if they are the dark ruby ones or chiogga or golden beets. Each is tasty and each is carefully kept long after the season is over to be put into our meals for many winter days.

A favorite way to make beets is to turn them into bright little chips with any supper. Crank up the oven to 400F; cut the beets in 1/4" slices and spread them in a pan on parchment paper. Lightly oil and salt and pepper them. Bake for 10 minutes;  flip them and bake another 10 minutes. Slightly crisp, a little smoky and deeply sweet and roasted, they are finger-licking good.

Another favorite way to cook them is from an old recipe (so old I've lost the origin), Roasted Beets and French Lentil Salad.  Our friend Francoise (an amazing cook) would make the most astounding lentils with the simplest ingredients on New Year's Day. I think of her when I make this recipe because the tastiness of the lentils echoes hers in some small way. It always calls to me at the turn of each new year as well.

Beets finished roasting

• 3 medium beets, oiled, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil and roasted in a 400F oven for one hour; then peeled and diced
• 1/4 c. minced flat leaf parsley
• mixed baby salad greens
• 3 oz of goat cheese

Combine in a saucepan & cover by 2" with cold water:

• 1 cup French or green lentils
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 large cloves of garlic peeled and smashed
• 1/2 onion studded with whole clove
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until lentils are tender (about 25 minutes). Strain lentils and discard herbs, garlic and onions.Put lentils in a large bowl.

For dressing:

• 1 1/2 T sherry wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1 T. whole grain mustard
• 1/2 t. salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 3/4 T olive oil
• 1 shallot minced

Mix a little more than half the dressing into the lentils, add the diced beets and parsley and mix.  Use the rest of the dressing on baby salad greens. Top the greens with the lentil mixture and add dots of goat cheese on top.

This makes enough for 4 main dish salads. Um, I'd show you a picture of the finished salad...but we ate it too quickly! Num!