Beets are earthy, sweet, and healthy. Simply roasted with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and fresh soft herbs is delicious, beautiful, and super easy to prepare.
Beetroots offer excellent health benefits being an excellent source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and B6. Along with a well planned diet, they also play a strong role in helping with detoxification of the liver.
| Roasted Beets with Fresh Mint and Aged Balsamic | |
| 2 bunches | fresh beets, briskly washed, stems and greens removed |
| 1 T | extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 T | aged balsamic vinegar |
| 1 T | fresh mint, chiffonade |
| salt and pepper | |
| Thoroughly wrap the beets in parchment paper or aluminum foil. Pay no mind to the scraggly roots and the tops. Just be sure that they are wrapped tightly. Put them onto a pan and roast at 425 F for about an hour. To test for doneness, prick one with the tines of a fork. When the beets are cooked, they will be fork tender, but still firm. | |
| Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 20-30 minutes. Unwrap the foil. One at a time, over a bowl or a sink, peel the outside layer of the beets under cool water. Set them aside in a bowl until they are all cleaned. This is a messy process, but simple. The skins, roots, and blossoms will easily peel away. | |
| Slice the cleaned beets and arrange on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the chiffonade of mint over the beets and season with salt and pepper. | |
| Serve or refrigerate. The beets will keep for a few days. | |
| *Chiffonade means to cut into thin strips. This is best done by collecting the mint leaves, stacking them, and rolling them as if they were a cigar. Hold the wrapped leaves tightly and slice across them into very thin strips. | |
| *If you do not have access to aged balsamic vinegar, simmer about 1/2 cup of ordinary balsamic vinegar over low heat until the liquid is reduced by 2/3. It will be syrupy and mimic that of an aged vinegar. | |
