Thanksgiving Roasted Beet Salad

Dear Lauren,

It's a well known fact. I'm a beet lover.

And I know it's too early to discuss this. But I'm definitely making this salad for Thanksgiving. Why? Well, look at it! It LOOKS like Thanksgiving, doesn't it? And on top of that, this can be made 2-4 days ahead and what cook doesn't love a make-ahead recipe at Thanksgiving!

I realize it's September 1. But all the craft stores have Christmas decorations for sale. And Costco has Christmas wrapping paper! So is it really too early to discuss the Thanksgiving menu?

I used golden beets that Dad and I found at the Whistlestop Market in Brevard, N.C. and the tiny red round beets are from Dad's garden!

Roasted Beet Salad
adapted from Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys by David Tanis

6 medium beets (I used a mixture of golden and red beets)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
the zest of one orange
a few shakes of Penzey's Shallot-Pepper Seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil
kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425. Cut off the top and root of your beets and wrap them loosely in aluminum foil. I don't wash them before roasting them because I peel them afterward. If you wash them, be sure to dry them completely before wrapping them in the aluminum foil. Be sure to seal your aluminum foil "packet" before putting them in the oven. The packet doesn't have to be pretty, just sealed. Here's a picture from another blogger to help you if you need a visual.

Photo Credit: Lana's Cooking

Roast for an hour or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Let them cook until you can handle them and then peel the skins off the beets, they come off easily. The red beets are MESSY! So I used disposable gloves. Wear an apron or just be prepared to get some stains on your clothes. Set the whole, peeled beets aside or refrigerate until you are ready to serve the salad, up to 4 days.

Put all the vinaigrette ingredients (both vinegars, zest, Penzey's, and olive oil) in a jam jar and shake well. Let it sit for about 20 minutes til the flavors combine and then taste it. I added a 2-finger pinch of coarse kosher salt. You can make this ahead, up to a week.

You know what I used to cut the whole beets? I used an apple corer. I used the wedges that resulted in the salad and the "cores" of my beets? I used them to dip in the vinaigrette and then I ate them!

You can slice your beets or cut them with a knife in wedges, whatever you like. Place the cut beets in a bowl and toss them in the vinaigrette and serve.

If you make this salad ahead of time, store the dressing and the beets separately. If you use different colors of beets, store your roasted beets separately as well. The colors will bleed eventually.

Love,