Tag: beets

Executive Chef Jason Starnes from The Sun Dial Restaurant shares this fall recipe from his kitchen on the 71st floor at The Westin Peachtree Plaza.

Have you hated beets since you were a kid? Blame your parents for making you eat the mushy canned ones. But those of us who love this root vegetable know that fresh beets are sweet and nutty, firm in texture, and beautiful—emerging from the ground in shades of white, gold, magenta, candy-striped, and dark maroon.

This taproot’s popularity peaked around 1982—about the time Wolfgang Puck first paired it with goat cheese. That puts beets somewhere between avocados and sun-dried tomatoes on Bon Appetit’s list of the trendiest vegetables of the last fifty years.

At home, chef Eddie Hernandez of Taqueria del Sol wraps up beets, Vidalia onions, limes, and a little fresh mint in aluminum foil and roasts them in a fire. They come out sweet and tangy. "I love Vidalias! They’re like candy to me," he laughs.

The four main ingredients—arugula, fennel, strawberries, and beets—represent everything we love about the spring garden. They're bright and refreshing, tender yet still grounded in their earthiness.

You've heard of carrot-raisin muffins, so why not beet-raisin? White beets aren't as messy to work with, but feel free to use the red or golden varieties if you prefer. Cardamom adds a subtle spiciness that enhances the earthy flavors of beets and walnuts.

We admit to blatantly borrowing this simple recipe idea from the New York Times . . . except we think the white beets add a wintry elegance to the composition. The instructions are adapted to protect the delicate white flesh from discoloration.