INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of beets 1 teaspoon olive oil salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons of water 1-2 tablespoons vinegar such as white balsamic or sherry
METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 400°.
Place a sheet of foil large enough to wrap around the beets and seal in a pie pan or similar ovenproof pan.
Cut the stems from the beets, leaving an inch or two on the beet, and wash well.
Drizzle oil into your hand and rub onto the beets, and place each one in the pie pan as you go.
When they are all done, add the water to the pan, then salt and pepper the beets. Tightly seal the foil up and place in the middle of the oven.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until done. To test if they are done, I use a wire used for testing cakes, but a toothpick, bamboo skewer, or narrow, thin bladed knife will do. Insert the probe, and if it slides in easily, the beets are done. If you are not sure, give them a little longer to be sure. Beets are pretty forgiving in the oven.
When the beets are done, remove them from the foil in the sink and allow them to cool just enough so you can handle them without burning yourself. Under running water if necessary, slip the beets from their skins, using the tip of a sharp knife to pare away any bits that won’t come loose. Beets, especially the red ones, are messy and can stain. Some people use gloves to peel the beets.
When the beets are peeled, you can cut them into halves or quarters (or leave whole if you are in a hurry) and then put them into the container you will store them in. While the beets are still warm, drizzle the vinegar over them, tossing to coat evenly, and allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating.
At this point, the beets are ready to use as is, or to be used in other preparations. They will keep for the better part of a week.
If cooking different colors of beets at the same time, cook them separately as the red ones will stain the golden ones will stain the candy-striped ones will stain the white ones. Also, I find the red beets typically take the longest to cook, so when cooking multiple types, check the non-red ones for doneness first. If cooking several things in the oven at a time, make sure to move the beets around in the oven while cooking. If left too close to the heat source, the sugars in the beets tend to cook and burn quickly, leaving hard nasty parts that can taint the flavor of the whole beet.
These beets can be used as is in salad, sautéed in olive oil as a side vegetable, or however you wish.
SERVES: 2-4
SOURCE: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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