Simple Cooking - Roasted Beet Salad with Pear

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jul 1, 2009 4:25PM

Beets have finally arrived in the farmer's markets! Beets are an under-appreciated and extremely versatile food, and while our first impulse was to turn them into pasta, we decided to try something new. Roasting beets is a classic way to prepare the sweet, burgundy lovelies, and this salad combines the earthy sweetness of the beets with a tart lemon/vinegar dressing and a light, fresh sliced pear.

A few things to keep in mind. This dish takes about 30 seconds to put together... but you have to roast the beets. That takes no real effort but it does require two hours of lead time - be sure to start in advance. Also, wear an apron - beet juice is very colorful.

Roasted Beet Salad with Pear
Adapted from a recipe by Ruth Reichl

3 beets, trimmed
5 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
3-4 cups lettuce, washed and prepped
1/2 pear, sliced into matchsticks
1/2 cup crumbled cheese, feta or goat (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets in a double layer of tin foil and roast in the oven for 1 and a half hours. Remove and allow to cool, in the foil, for another 1/2 hour. Peel and slice. While the beets are in the oven, combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and garlic and let sit.

Roasting beets is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to prepare them. The skins slip right off and they're ready to eat right away. They maintain their vibrant color, and the sweet flavor is slightly mellowed. Experiment, if you like, with coatings and marinades.

Once the beets are cool, slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices. Toss them with the marinade and let sit for 5 minutes. Arrange the lettuce on a platter. Top with the beets, sprinkle with the pears and the cheese and pour the dressing over the whole thing. If you like, you can toss the salad to coat - but try not to destroy the tender beets.