Saturday, September 21, 2013

Beet, Red Onion and Feta Salad


by Peg Cochran

Beets belong to the chenopod family which includes chard, spinach and quinoa.  They are also nature's "Viagra." The ancient Romans used them as an aphrodisiac. And even though my sister-in-law claims they taste like dirt, prepared properly (like in this salad), they can be delicious.  And save the tops for a soup or a saute. The greens contain an incredible amount of vitamins and minerals.

This recipe is adapted from One Dish at a Time.  The original recipe calls for lime juice and zest, but I lost my grocery list in the produce section (I was shopping with my granddaughter and somewhat distracted) so I used lemon which I happened to have on hand.  It was delicious!  Next time I'll try the lime, and then I think I might even try it with orange juice and orange zest.

The original recipe also called for hazelnuts, but I forgot those, too (see note above).  It was just as delicious without and less expensive (hazelnuts aren't cheap.)

2 large beets
Grated zest of one lemon (or lime) 
Juice of one lemon (or lime)
2 tsps. canola oil (I used evoo because I use it for everything)
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 red onion sliced into rings
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place beets in a roasting pan and cover tightly with foil.  Bake until easily pierced all the way through with a paring knife -- about one hour and 15 minutes depending on the size of your beets.  Let them cool slightly.

Whisk together the lemon zest, juice, honey and oil.  

Rub off the beet skins (wear thin plastic gloves or use paper towels to keep the color from staining your hands) and slice into thin rounds.  

Place in a salad bowl along with the red onion and toss with the dressing.  Sprinkle the feta cheese on top.

Reg says "Bone Appetit!"







I used three smaller beets

Beets after roasting

Slice beets and red onion





Top with feta cheese



Enjoy!

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10 comments:

  1. Oh you're so funny with your grocery list Peg--good thing you're flexible.

    this recipe is just what I need as I have a lot of beets waiting for us out in the garden:) xo

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  2. Lucy, it's very good and very easy! My granddaughter is 3 1/2 so shopping with her is a blast but hanging on to my list is a challenge! She loves to "help."

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  3. Thanks for visiting our MLK Blog today! I will be out most of the day at a book signing at Dog Day in the Park, along with my trusty companion, Reg. (And my husband, too, of course!) If you have a question or comment, I will catch up with you later this afternoon!

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  4. Pretty, Peg! My husband is a beet lover. (I'm not, sadly) And he loves feta. So this is going to make a perfect salad for him!!

    Hugs,

    Daryl /Avery

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  5. Lovely and very appealing, Peg! I have been wanting a beet salad recipe and now I have one.

    Thank you! I'm off to the market now. Will return with beets and red onion - already have the feta.

    MJ

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  6. As a child I thought beets were nasty, slimy things. NOT for eating!
    Then my sister grew them herself and I found out what a delight a fresh beet can be. (The same thing was true of a lot of vegetables--frozen foods reigned supreme and over-cooking them was the norm. Later my parents got into gourmet cooking and things improved. Thank you, Julia Child!)

    This looks lovely. What was the amount of nuts called for?

    Continue to enjoy that grand-baby. Shopping lists can wait, right?

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  7. Reg is soooo cute!

    Who would have thought beets were related to spinach and quinoa? We love them, but they always leave my hands red. And I agree with Libby, they're best fresh. Lucky Lucy to have them growing her her garden!

    ~Krista

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  8. Peg - Interesting notes on the culinary trivia--Viagra?! Who knew? (Well, you did, obviously! :)) I have a love-hate relationship with them. They are not the easiest veg to work with, tough to cut, but worth the effort in so many dishes. I'm glad to see your recipe has us roast them *first*, which will make them much easier to slice. Thanks for sharing this delish-looking recipe; I hope your signing was lots of fun--have a great weekend!

    ~ Cleo

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  9. Cleo, any vegetable roasted is sooo much better in my opinion! And the signing was a blast. What fun to see so many dog breeds all together in one place--from tiny Chinese Cresteds to Newfoundlands! We all had so much fun.

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  10. I love beets.. and Steamed to Death is on my To Be Read pile

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