Oven Roasted Beets with Fresh Horseradish and Herbs

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Springtime is beet season. For a delicious and nutritious find, you can’t beat beets. Earthy sweet and packed with antioxidants, they are also rich in nitrates and fiber, making them a healthy option to add to your plate. Here are three ways to get your fill of this springtime treat.

First, use beets in your salad. Roasted beets atop peppery arugula, dressed with a simple vinaigrette and dotted with goat cheese, feta, or some blue cheese crumbles is divine. Topped with some toasted walnuts or hazelnuts, it’s a salad that just says springtime.

For something new and different, try making Oven Roasted Beets with Fresh Horseradish and Herbs. It’s a brilliant way to showcase the beautiful beets you just bought from the market, and it couldn’t be easier to make. For this preparation, simply oven roast your beets, then give them a showering of freshly grated horseradish. For a pop of color and some bright grassy flavor, top with celery leaves – it’s delicious! This would be so pretty on your Easter or Passover table. 

And last but not least, and oldie but a goodie. Harvard Beets is something I remember my mom making. Sometimes she would use fresh beets, but she used canned ones, too – always sliced, not cubed. Served warm, in a tangy-sweet delectable glaze, if you’ve never had ‘em, you gotta try them. She would plate them with meatloaf or chicken and magically, all of them would disappear. Just thinking about them makes everything feel right with the world.

Choose a bunch that feels firm to the touch and has plenty of healthy green leaves still attached. After trimming, the greens are a great bonus because you can cook them and serve as a delicious side dish. Sauté them with a little olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper for a quick side, or use them to add extra flavor to soups, pastas, grains or casseroles. 

Roasting heart-healthy beets brings out their earthy sweetness, giving them a delectable bite. To trim beets for roasting, thoroughly wash and scrub your beets to remove any dirt. Use a knife to cut off the root ends of the  beets, being sure to remove any damaged portions. Cut off the leafy tops and set aside. Peel your beets using a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. To keep your hands from staining purple, wear food handler gloves. 

Run, don’t walk, to the Farmer’s Market and don’t miss a beet! 

Oven Roasted Beets with Fresh Horseradish and Herbs

• 8 medium beets
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• 1 piece fresh horseradish, for grating
• 1 bunch fresh celery leaves

Preheat oven to 375º F. Peel and cut beets into large chunks, then toss with olive oil and salt. Roast until tender all the way through, about 30 minutes. Top with freshly grated horseradish and garnish with celery leaves. 

-marc murphy

Harvard Beets

• 4 medium beets, or 1 16-ounce can sliced or diced beets
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Peel beets and slice, or cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cook, covered, in a medium pot, in a small amount of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup liquid; set beets aside. (Or, drain canned beets, reserving 1/3 cup liquid.) In same pot, combine sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in reserved beet liquid, vinegar, and butter. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in cooked or canned beets. Continue to cook and stir until beets are heated through, about 5 minutes. 

-Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook