Roasted beet crostini

At long last it’s time to bid adieu to winter’s earthy vegetables and welcome spring’s vibrant green treasures. But let’s first give our hearty old roots a proper send-off, shall we?

Say, in the form of this new take on an old favourite: Roasted beet crostini.

If you don’t remember how to roast beets, check this link. Once they’re cooked, just chop them up and toss with a bit of balsamic vinegar sweetened with a touch of brown sugar.

Next, preheat the broiler, slice up a crusty baguette and brush bread with olive oil. Toast slices until they become lightly browned crostini.

Top crostini with your prepared beets, some shaved Parmesan, and say hello to the first chives of spring.

Welcome back chives. We’ve missed you!

Fun with beets

Just look at this composed salad of roasted beets, beans, goat cheese and candied walnuts. Almost looks restaurant quality,  doesn't it? Good enough to eat, no? Well let me tell you, I ate it. And it was good enough. And then some.

I'm finishing off my last day in Palm Beach right now, and you know what? I'm just realizing that the last thing I want to do is talk beets. So I'm cutting this short. That said, if you feel like talking beets tomorrow, here's my recipe for a pretty beet salad.

ROASTED BEET SALAD

Preheat oven to 400 F. Take washed, whole beets, cut off the rough root end and green top (save beet greens -- they're part of tomorrow's dinner), then wrap beets tightly in foil and roast in preheated oven for 1 - 1.5 hours, depending on size. When done, let cool for a couple of minutes then pop off the skins in the sink and wash your hands. (Note: I've always imagined that if I planned to murder someone with my bare hands I would first roast several bunches of beets; my scarlet hands providing the perfect alibi.) 

Cut beets into wedges and set aside. Get out some nuts -- walnuts, pecans, almonds; whatever you've got--put them in a small pan, sprinkle lightly with sugar and a touch of cayenne. Toast them until the sugar melts and caramelizes. Set aside to cool. 

Get out some green beans, tip their ends, and then steam them in the microwave for 3 minutes. Set aside.

Finally, get out your final ingredients: goat cheese, a little olive oil, and best quality balsamic. 

Arrange beets, beans and candied nuts around salad plate. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil and a whisper of balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with some sea salt, or even better, Maldon. Crumble goat cheese overtop. 

It's as pretty as a picture and tastes as sly as the Mona Lisa.