Beet chips!

I have written about my obsession with beets before. I have also mentioned my love of vegetable chips (kale, previously). So what could go wrong with chips made out of beets?


Well apparently, what could go wrong is that they are really hard to slice and when you don't make them thin enough they don't really become too chip like. Of course, the few slices I did make thin enough were awesome! I am going to have to try this again when I have more patience, and after I get an air conditioner so I am able to comfortably hang out in my apartment without sweating and getting antsy. I may also need to by the cutting utensil Martha uses, a mandoline...

Receipe (from Martha as always: http://www.marthastewart.com/312807/beet-chips?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/great-snacks-for-kids#slide_14):
 
Ingredients

• 2 medium beets
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Peel beets and slice 1/16 inch thick with a mandoline. In a large bowl, toss beets with extra-virgin olive oil.
   
2. On two rimmed baking sheets (or use one sheet and bake in two batches), arrange beets in a single layer. Stack another rimmed baking sheet on top of each. Bake until edges of beets begin to dry out, about 20 minutes. Uncover and rotate sheets. Bake 10 to 20 minutes, removing chips as they become lightened in color. Transfer to a wire rack; chips will crisp up as they cool.
   

Beets and lentils and ginger, oh my!

As those who have read my previous blog post know, I am kind of obsessed with beets. Today, I decided to expand this love into something new: golden beets. Golden beets, I have found are a bit more subtle and not as sweet, and as a bonus, they don't dye everything in their way a bright red.

I found the perfect recipe on Martha's recipe, Lentils with Ginger, Golden Beets and Herbs. It seemed like a great mixture of textures and flavors, so I gave it a whirl.

I started by baking the beets in water and salt, and made a packet around beets with aluminum foil. In the meantime, I cooked up the lentils on the stove with slices of ginger. After the lentils had softened, I drained the mix and removed the ginger slices. I made up the dressing, combining red onions, honey, red wine vinegar and grated ginger. After the mix sat for 15 minutes, I added in the coriander, mint and cilantro.

After around an hour, the beets were nice and soft and I removed them from the oven. After they cooled down a bit I mixed them with olive oil and I combined them with the lentils and the dressing.

The resulting meal was absolutely delicious and had very complex mix of flavors. Can't wait to eat this for lunch tomorrow!

Recipe (from Martha Stewart, marthastewart.com):

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 pound (about 6 medium) trimmed golden or red beets
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) dried lentils, such as French green or black beluga
• 6 thin slices fresh ginger plus 1 teaspoon finely grated
• 1/4 medium red onion, finely diced (1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds, toasted and ground, or 1 teaspoon ground
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, plus leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place beets, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a baking dish. Cover with parchment, then foil, and bake until beets are tender when pierced with the tip of a small knife, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel and quarter beets, and place in a small bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil.
2. Combine lentils and sliced ginger in a medium saucepan, and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; discard ginger. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Combine remaining teaspoon salt and the grated ginger, onion, vinegar, and honey, and let stand for 15 minutes. Whisk in remaining tablespoon oil and the coriander. Pour over lentils, and toss to coat. Season with pepper. Stir in chopped mint and cilantro. Arrange beet wedges on top of lentils. Garnish with herbs, and serve immediately.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Lentils with Ginger, Golden Beets, and Herbs

Beet it!

I am absolutely in love with beets. If there are beets on the menu, odds are I'll order them. There is something about their color, texture, and taste that's just perfect! Look how red they are! And how sweet but still subtle!

That said, beets are ridiculously annoying to cook... or at least I thought. They look so intimidating raw. Covered with a tough, dirty outer shell and attached to some long sprouts, I usually steer clear of them in the produce aisle, opting for pre-cooked options.

Today, I decided to take a chance and face my fear: I was going to cook some beets and I was going to like it!

I have to say the experiment was a roaring success. I decided on Martha's recipe for Warm Beet Salad with Parmesan Dressing. I bought five medium-sized beets, shoots and all, at my favorite local produce store. After a bit of scrubbing and chopping the shoots off, the beets were ready to go. With Martha's suggestion, I baked them in the oven in a foil-wrapped packet with plenty of thyme. They softened perfectly in less then an hour.

I served the delicious, warm beets (after peeling off the skin, which came off really easily), with a shallot, red wine vinegar, and olive oil mixture on a bed of watercress. The recipe was topped off with a parmesan and heavy cream sauce that I cooked on the stove with a bit of thyme.

This was absolutely, positively delicious. And I felt super fancy! I made beets! With watercress! And shallots! Such a great, healthy meal. I am extremely proud of myself, I must say.