Winter Weary but The Beet Goes On!

It has been a somewhat mild winter in Middle Tennessee but even somewhat mild winters get long and dreary by Mid February.  The  color of our world is an immutable Mud Brown.  Steady rains have turned the barnyard into a sloppy mess that sticks to our Muck Boots and follows us into the house. Twelve farm dogs race about as The Farmer and I do our chores....48 muddy paws sullying the already sullied floor.  

On the bright side...and there is always a bright side...the Wood Stove keeps us warm and dry and the often maligned Plywood Floors are completely indestructible...regardless of what the dogs drag in!  The Calendar tells me that Spring is just around the corner which means that the seedlings will soon be planted and the Farm will once again come alive with GREEN.  I cannot wait!

The Cook Stove is a workhorse!  It keeps the farmhouse cozy on the coldest of days!

While our growing season has yet to begin, we are lucky to live within a few hours of a Wholesale Growers Market.  The Farmer makes a weekly trek to Alabama so that our CSA members can enjoy fresh farm produce even when local fields are fallow.  He brought home some beautiful, ruby red beets last week and I imagine that we will be seeing more of them in the coming weeks.  We will pickle them, boil them, turn them into Hummus and toss them into salads, but my absolute favorite way to eat beets is to roast 'em.  A caramelized beet is a real treat and Caramelized Beets with Onions and Goat Cheese are Sublime!

Caramelized Beets with Onions, Goat Cheese, and Whole Grain Dijon Vinaigrette

Beets seem to invoke a visceral response from folks...it is a "love em/hate em" veggie.  I am a fan, The Farmer is not.  However, I have a big wooden bowl on the counter just bursting with beets so I was determined to convert him. Based upon his reaction, this recipe appears to have done the trick.  It is easy and adaptable...use what you have on hand.  I used the following:

• 4 medium sized beets
• 1 sweet onion
• Garlic
• Rosemary
• salt/pepper
• Goat Cheese.  We make ours on the farm but store bought will do in a pinch.
• Nuts for some crunch...I used Pine Nuts but use walnuts, almonds, pecans or whatever is in your cupboard!
• Some sort of green leafy goodness...I had spinach in the refrigerator
• Dijon Vinaigrette 

Unlike baking, which requires a high degree of precision, I am a bit more relaxed when playing with my veggies.  I generally roast root vegetables at a fairly high temperature---somewhere between 425 and 450 degrees. The beets will roast more quickly at a higher temp and dicing them into smaller pieces will speed the process. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and peel and dice the beets into 1/4 inch chunks.  Throw them into a bowl and toss in some chopped garlic and rosemary.  Season with a teaspoon or so of salt and add a generous splash of olive oil.

Mix it all together...use a metal spoon if you don't want pink hands or a stained wooden spoon!  Throw everything into a shallow baking pan (or start the process in the pan and save yourself a step) and pop it in the oven.

Set the timer for twenty minutes and start slivering the onion.  Sliver thin slices and put 'em into a pan with a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, which helps to sweat out the moisture within the onion.  Properly caramelizing onions is a slow, leisurely process that should not be rushed. I have found the trick is to keep the heat on medium low, stir occasionally and find something else to keep you busy while the onions do their thing.  You want the onions to slowly become translucent and then take on a beautiful golden color without leaving burnt residue in the pan...they will be much sweeter if you are patient!  If I am making French Onion Soup I tend to really baby the onions along, taking up to an hour to properly caramelize them since they are the star of the show.  No need to over-obsess in this instance since onions are only a supporting player in this dish.

Check the beets when the timer goes off and give them a good stir.  Set the alarm another ten minutes, stir the onions, and whip up the Dijon Vinaigrette if you are making your own.  Pssst... a hand mixed dressing is always better and you probably have all the ingredients you need on hand! Take a minute to toast the nuts that you are using. Try not to skip this step as it enhances the flavor and the crunch!  I simply tossed the pine nuts into a pan over medium heat and stirred gently to toast them.  I almost burnt them but managed to avoid it by seconds.  Nuts are like that...not ready, not ready, not ready, BURNT!

Keep checking on the beets and stirring the onions.  I found the beets to be perfect for my taste at 50 minutes.  Slightly charred on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside. The onions should be about perfect as well. Combine the beets with the onions and slowly drizzle in the Dijon Vinaigrette.

 Put a hand full of fresh spinach or other greens on a plate, gently add a heaping helping of the beet mixture.  Top with goat cheese and pine nuts.  While we used this as a side for a Rosie Belle Farm ham steak, it would be great with chicken or shine as a Vegetarian meal!