Beets can be intimidating; they stain, they have that “earthy” flavour that not everyone is a fan of, and then there’s the to peel or not to peel question.
Let’s put your worries to rest. Yes, they can stain, so use a dark cutting board and wear an apron or a dark shirt. Cooked beets are much sweeter, so boil, steam, or roast your beets for better flavour. Lastly, as a rule I would say, if you’re eating the beet raw don’t peel it, unless they are big beets, then maybe peel it. If you’re cooking them, then peel the skin either before or after, depending on the method.
One of the great things about beets is they’re easy to boil and then store in the fridge for a later-in-the-week use. Try it for this recipe, it’ll make prep time a breeze.
I am sure that walnuts, or maybe goat cheese instead of feta would be a good addition to this salad. Note that if you don’t have champagne vinegar try using white wine vinegar or even rice vinegar.
Beet Salad with Feta and Mint
1-2 pounds of beets
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of champagne vinegar
1 tsp of red wine vinegar
pinch of sea salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup of feta cheese
1 Tbsp of fresh mint, chopped
Trim the green tops from the beets and reserve for another use. Wash the roots well. In a large pot, cover the roots with water and boil until they are tender enough to be pierced with a fork – about 1 hour, depending on the size of the beets used. When the beets are done, remove from heat and let them cool. Remove the skins and cut into wedges.
To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Arrange the beets on a platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the cheese and fresh mint.