Beets Island-Style
Cooking beets brings out their sweetness, and makes them tender, even silky. A beautiful, nutritious, and delicious side dish.
Cooking Time: 15 mins Servings: 4-6
Products needed
Ingredients
6 small beets (about 2 inches in diameter)
1 small red onion cut into thin strips
5-6 tablespoons The Olive Scene Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided (of course a Greek varietal oil)
3 tablespoons The Olive Scene Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar, divided
½ tsp dried Rìgani (Greek oregano)
½ tsp dried basil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup Microgreens, or baby arugula
Directions
Trim the stem and root ends from the beets. Scrub the beets with a stiff brush under cold running water.
Boil the beets for 15 min in boiling salted water or until just tender when pierced with a knife. Or seal the beets in foil and roast in a 375 degree oven for 60 minutes, or until fork tender.
While beets are cooking, place onion in a nonreactive bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, basil and the Rìgani. Toss to mix, cover and set aside.
Drain beets (or remove from oven), and when just cool enough to handle, remove the skins with a small paring knife, or use a paper towel to rub the skins off the beets. While beets are still warm cut lengthwise into quarters, lengthwise.
Combine the beets with a mixture of 3 tablespoon olive oil, the remaining balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a non reactive bowl and toss to coat.
Serve tavérna-style: arrange beets on a platter or shallow bowl. Scatter the onion over the beets, top with ground pepper, and the microgreens. Drizzle with olive oil, and any balsamic vinegar mixture left from the onions.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
*Oregano or Neapolitan Herb Balsamic Vinegars also work, as well as an herb flavored olive oil like our Herbes de Provence, Wild Dill or Wild Rosemary.