Dear Beets,

First things first, I love your color, specially when you come in the aptly name “beet red”. I’ll be honest, sometimes when I peel you guys, I don’t use protection (i.e. gloves) because I love the dark fuchsia stains you leave behind on my hands. Every single time, I’m in awe that such an intense color comes straight from nature and without any additions of Red #41 or Yellow #3.

Now, about your name in Spanish. “Remolacha” just doesn’t do you justice! And honestly, back home I only saw you as an addition to potato salad when I wanted to eat pink foods. Now, you’ve become almost a staple in the Murray household and kitchen. I love shaving you really thin and raw, and serving you drizzled with the best olive oil I can find. I love roasting you with nutmeg and cloves with a touch of brown sugar for a comforting side dish. And just in case I can’t find you in the grocery store, I pickle you in a fast and easy way!

Today I’m sharing this recipe that I made with you guys at work. What’s a tartine? I guess it’s anything delicious atop crusty bread. I’ll be honest, the beets I used were leftover from a dish M. makes at work and I didn’t want to see you guys go to waste. This was what you call “a Scooby”; a snack we make during service and munch on while waiting for orders (referring back to a Scooby Snack, from Scooby Doo!)

Oh and Beets? You are loved immensely, thus the Food Network has decided to include you in the Summer Fest! Congrats Beets, you are this weeks winners!

Love,

Marnely Rodriguez-Murray

Ingredients

2 large beets washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 medium carrots washed and peeled
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
oil & vinegar I used Fig Balsamic and Olive Oil
1 fresh baguette sliced and toasted

Instructions

Heat oven to 350F.
Cut two squares of aluminum foil (large enough to cover beets) and cut both ends of the beets. Sit each beet on a foil square and drizzle with salt and oil. Wrap in foil and place in baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes, depending on size.
In the meantime, chop carrots to a manageable size and drop into food processor. Process until it's a bowl of tiny carrot specs. Add crumbled goat cheese and pulse to blend.
When beets are ready, remove foil and peel. Cut into small dice and season with your favorite oil & vinegar combination. Toss to coat and reserve.
Toast bread, spread with carrot goat cheese and top with chopped roasted beets. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.

Notes

This is the perfect way to enter a meal, with the sweet flavors from the beets and the salty goodness of the goat cheese. Get the best bread you can for this, it makes a huge difference!

Need more recipes using beets? Check out these #summerfest posts all around the Internet:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Roasted Beet and Apple Walnut Salad With Honey Yogurt Dressing
What’s Gaby Cooking: Beet, Corn and Quinoa Salad
Chez Us: Pickled Beets
From My Corner of Saratoga: Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleon
Feed Me Phoebe: Spaghetti With Beet Greens and Blistered Tomatoes
Virtually Homemade: Orange Roasted Chicken With Beets and Green Beans
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Beet and Avocado Salad With Meyer Lemon Marmalade Vinaigrette
Thursday Night Dinner: Beet, Carrot and Ginger Soup
HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Beets
FN Dish: Better Beets

Roasted Beets & Carrot Goat Cheese Tartine