Ok, I want to be clear about something. I don’t like beets. There, I said it, and I feel liberated. Yes, I know that beets are “supposed to be liked by adults” but frankly I don’t care. So, you may ask, why would I make a salad with beets as an ingredient? Well, two reasons. First, beets are pretty, and make a nice visual component to the salad. Secondly, my husband loves beets. I don’t get it, he didn’t always love beets, and we shared a mutual beet abhorrence that bound us together. Then one day I see him eating a beet on a salad and ENJOYING IT! Quelle horreur! Anyway, I came to grips with his beet dalliance and agreed to disagree.
Pertaining to this salad, I will quote him: “the earthiness of the beets add a contrasting note to the luscious watermelon, and the citrus and feta bring the disparate components together in a fresh and satisfying manner.” Umm, ok. Let’s just get to the recipe.
First, make my Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing. It is one of my all-time-favorite dressings, and so easy to make.
You’ll also need:
Watermelon wedges or slices, about 1” thick
Feta Cheese crumbles (goat cheese crumbles work well her also)
Roasted red and golden beets, sliced
Roasted Beets
Note- although beets are very easy to cook, they are messy. Yet another reason I hate them. Many groceries now stock a precooked beet in the refrigerated produce area, usually a red beet. While I prefer the golden ones for a visual component in this salad, I’ll gladly skip it if I don’t have to prepare them from raw.
Ingredients
A bunch of beets. By a bunch, I don’t necessarily mean a lot. They are usually sold in “bunches.” Red and golden beets will cook in roughly the same time, so you can cook them at the same time.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Trim off stems right above the beet, then wash beets. Wrap each beet in foil. You can wrap a few together in a foil packet, but don’t mix the colors. Lay them on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with a fork. If it goes in easily, they are done. Cook for additional time until they are tender (may take over an hour for larger beets.)
Remove from oven and allow to cool. Using paper towels (and wearing gloves unless you want purple fingers) remove the skin from the beets. If cooked properly it will come off easily. Roasted beets will last for up to a week in the fridge.
