Thursday, August 11, 2011

Can't Beat Beets

sketch - bunch of beets
©2011 Stacy L. Rowan

Beets get a bad wrap as a vegetable. I think it is because most people have only tried the red canned version, which I will admit don't appeal to me at all.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that beets come in a variety of colors from deep purple to the traditional red to a cheery golden color.

I found this bunch at my local farmers' market (of course). Before cooking them I plopped them on my studio table and had some fun with my watercolor pencils. The above sketch is the result.

If you want to try some tasty beets, grab a fresh bunch and give the recipe below a try. You will end up with a side dish that is colorful and a little sweet.

Roasted Beets with Feta
beets, greens trimmed off with 1 inch of stems attached
olive oil
feta

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Rub each beet with a little olive oil and wrap individually in aluminum foil.
3. Bake beets in preheated oven until you can pierce them easily with a sharp knife. Approximately 45-60 minutes depending on size.
4. Remove beets from oven and allow them to cool enough to handle them. Unwrap beets and use a paper towel to rub off skin. The hotter they are, the easier this is. (Warning: This is the most difficult step in the recipe and you may end up with red stained fingers.)
5. Slice beets and place them on a plate.
6. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.

3 comments:

M J Muir said...

Wow Stacy. Who knew beets came in colours? I love your beets. I hope they taste as good as they look.

Stacy said...

Mary Jane, it is amazing the colors you can find at the farmers' markets. And most things taste even better than they look. These beets were yummy even though I overcooked them just a bit.

Jennifer Rose said...

fresh or canned i don't like beets :/ just don't like the flavour but i didn't know that they came in other colours :)