“This is a very simple recipe that I often make for dinner guests, and invariably someone around the table says, “I don’t like beets, but these are really good.” I made this dish for our wonderful holiday meal because of this and because I had some stored in the crisper that were harvested from our late summer garden. I like to use what I have. The fig-infused vinegar is left over from a recipe that I use to preserve figs. You can make this in advance so you have the vinegar on hand. It can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks.”
Ingredients
- 1 bunch beets, about 2 pounds
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup fig-infused vinegar, recipe below
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 cup blue cheese (I used Bleu D’Auvergne)
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- Arugula or fresh greens of choice
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 25 figs, halved
- 3 healthy sprigs rosemary
Preparation
To make preserved figs (the resulting infused vinegar may have been the secret ingredient): Simmer balsamic vinegar, water, sugar, figs and rosemary for about 15 minutes. Pack the figs in jars and top with vinegar. Set aside any leftover vinegar, let everything cool; refrigerate. The preserved figs are great with goat cheese, pork and lamb, or just smeared on a baguette.
Simmer beets, covered, for about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool to the touch and massage the skins off with your hands. Trim the ends and cut into sections.
Sauté onion in butter over medium heat to caramelize. Do not brown, rather let them turn translucent and sweet. Remove from heat. Add beets and toss with the infused vinegar and let marinate for a few hours.
When ready to serve, add a handful of walnuts, crumble good-quality blue cheese and a few turns of the pepper mill. Serve over a bed of arugula or your choice of greens.
About this recipe
Note: You can also just use straight balsamic, with a little olive oil to cut the acidity, or prepare infused vinegar in advance.
