Monday

23

February 2015

0

COMMENTS

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Beet and Carrot Soup

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Roasting, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

If you are into time travel and happen to meet up with my younger self, please don’t tell her that she will grow to love beets. She will surely not believe you and may even laugh in your face.

I am not a believer in time travel, if you were wondering. But, we just watched the Back to the Future trilogy, and being married to Tim, we discuss time travel way more than I ever thought I would. So it’s on my mind more often than I would have ever thought it would be… But then again, I never thought I’d like beets, sooooooo…

If I could time travel, I think I’d go to a point in history when Julia Child was alive, so I could meet her, preferably in Paris, at a dinner party at her house, after we’d become best friends during one of her L’école des trois gourmandes classes. Maybe we’d even enjoy beets together, since I would be taking my love of beets with me wherever I time traveled to.

Yes, beets. I love them. I am sad when they’re gone. It’s a pretty good life lesson, if I stop and think about it. There are so many things that I think I don’t like. Maybe I really and truly don’t like them. But, with the right additions, with the right complimentary flavors, after trying and failing a few times, maybe they will become not just not as bad as I’d thought, but a favorite.

For this soup, beets are most certainly the star. They bring a sweet, earthy depth to it that’s like nothing else. Combined with (also sweet) carrots, it’s just a fabulous combination. They stained my hands red when I was peeling them (making me wonder how they’d do as an Easter egg dye) (if that would bother you, you could wear gloves), but it washed off with a good scrubbing.

The cauliflower in this dish adds a bit of crunch and, well technically a lack of color, that looks kinda awesome with the red soup. I cooked it separately and added it at the end so that it wouldn’t turn pink. If you don’t care as much, you can add it to the soup with the beets and carrots.

The base of the soup is basically (ha, no pun intended) olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and vegetable stock. There’s a bit of salt and pepper, and some heat from cayenne. That’s it. It’s a simple one.

The carrots and beets take a while longer to roast than the cauliflower, so they get a head start.

Don’t worry, the cauliflower will catch up.

Roasted cauliflower and broccoli are one of my favorite sides. Probably ever. I can’t get enough of how crispy and nutty they get in the oven.

The beets and carrots are added to the boiling stock. They’ll all simmer away for a few minutes. Then it’s ladled into a bowl, topped with some cauliflower, lemon juice, and dill. I haven’t decided if I like it better with or without the dill. I mean, I like it both ways, so I’d say add it if you want to.

I made a very different beet soup a few weeks ago that was not yummy. I added a few too many bitter root veggies that threw off the taste. So, my expectations for this soup were admittedly not very high. This soup pleasantly surprised me with how flavorful it was. I liked it so much that I put my spoon down and slurped the last of the broth out of the bowl.

The real test will be if Tim likes it. He doesn’t yet know that he loves beets like I do. 😉

Happy Eating!

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Beet and Carrot Soup

Ingredients

1 large beet (about 2 C), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
3 t olive oil, divided
to taste salt
to taste pepper
3 carrots (about 1 1/2 C), cut into 1/2" chunks
1/4 head of cauliflower (about 2 C), cut into bite sized pieces
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 T balsamic vinegar
4 C vegetable stock
2 C water
to taste salt
to taste pepper
good sprinkle cayenne
lemon slices, for serving
1/2 t dill (optional), finely chopped, for topping

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
Toss beets with 1 t olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake on the top rack for 15 minutes.
Toss carrots with 1 t olive oil, some salt and pepper. Stir beets and add carrots, cook for 15 minutes more.
Toss cauliflower with 1 t olive oil, place on a baking sheet. Stir beets and carrots and move to a rack in the lower portion of the oven. Place cauliflower on the upper rack. Roast for 10-15 minutes.
Remove beets and carrots from the oven. Flip cauliflower, and roast 10 minutes more.
Heat soup pot over medium-low. Add 1 T olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for 30 seconds more. Add stock through cayenne. Bring to a boil, add beets and carrots* and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Spoon into bowls, topping the soup with cauliflower, lemon, and a tiny bit of dill.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/sweet-and-spicy-roasted-beet-and-carrot-soup/

Thursday

15

January 2015

0

COMMENTS

Hearty Winter Salad with Dill Dressing

Written by Rachel, Posted in Beans, Eggs, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, Potatoes, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Very rarely do I want a break from soup when the weather is cold. But, every once in a while it’s ok to take a breather from a steaming bowl of goodness. And I really do love the crunch of raw veggies. I also like how different a salad looks in the winter, compared to summer.

This simple meal starts with some hardboiled eggs. If you’re not in the mood for eggs, you could use tuna as an alternative.

When I was cooking these eggs, I thought I’d try to do them a different way from the way that I always do it, the way that works every time. I’d seen it done differently on TV, or read about it on a blog, or someone said something at some point in life about a different way to hard boil an egg.

Always a sure sign that something will turn out splendidly.

I ended up with soft boiled (aka goopy not fully cooked) eggs. Not at all what I was hoping for. So I returned them to the pot and re-boiled them the way I’d always done it. The way my mom taught me.

They turned out perfectly.

Lesson learned.

Veggies that I had on hand to go with the eggs: broccoli and radish. You could also use beets, crispy potatoes, peas, carrots, cauliflower, or cabbage.

Since I’m still obsessed with dill, I made a creamy dill dressing. It’s mostly Greek yogurt, because I was almost out of mayo. But, I’m happy with how it turned out, so I wouldn’t change the recipe. But, if you like a little less tang, switch up the proportions to suit your tastes.

This salad was seriously filling, with chickpeas and eggs on there. I made it to go along with the Spaghetti Squash au Gratin that I’d made for lunch the same day, but didn’t end up eating it until dinner, since the Gratin was more filling than I’d expected. As a light dinner, it was perfect (for me anyways). (I keep hitting the caps lock key so it looks like I’m screaming half of each word at you. I must have a rogue pinky finger.) A small portion of each would go nicely together.

So that’s that. Now I can go back to eating soup. 😉

Happy Eating!

Winter Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 2-4

Winter Salad

Ingredients

4 eggs, hard boiled and chopped (or you could use tuna)
1/2 C Greek yogurt
2 T mayo
to taste salt
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T fresh dill, chopped
1/4 C olive oil
greens (lettuce, kale, spinach, chard), torn
1/2 C broccoli, chopped into small pieces
1/4 C radish, very thinly sliced
(could also add: grated carrots, chopped cauliflower, shredded cabbage, peas, crispy potatoes, beet chips)
1/4 C chick peas

Instructions

Cook eggs.
Whisk yogurt through dill. Whisk in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Top greens with veggies, chick peas, hard boiled eggs, and dressing.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/hearty-winter-salad-with-dill-dressing/

Monday

17

March 2014

0

COMMENTS

How To Cook Beets

Written by Rachel, Posted in How To, Roasting, Vegetables

I haven’t always loved beets. They’ve been one of those foods that I’ve had to grow to even like. But, now that I know how to prepare them, I enjoy eating them, and even crave them.

Right now I’m craving a Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad that I’m planning to make later today.

Are you craving beets?

If you are, my first suggestion for when you finish reading this post is to go and make this Mache and Citrus Salad or Roasted Beet Salad. I don’t think you’ll be sorry you did.

Since you’ve probably made extra beet chips for the salad (to eat right off the pan, right? Just me? Ok.), I would suggest saving them to make a simple and delicious pasta.

Then, if you have any beets left, I’d make some borscht.

And you thought you didn’t like beets. Wait, that was me.

Wrong.

Beets are awesome.

“Everybody loves beets.” – Dwight K. Schrute

Beets can be cooked in so many different ways. Like most vegetables, I prefer them roasted and a bit crispy. They’re also delicious roasted whole, so they get soft and tender, or in small, bite-sized pieces, to be dunked in a creamy sauce.

When roasting beets, I might peel them first, so they can be chopped small, or made into chips. I wouldn’t recommend trying to peel these after roasting. However, if you’re roasting whole or halved, you can let them cool a bit, then peel. The skin should come off suuuuper easily.

Same goes for steaming or boiling.

Hey, if you’re going to boil, after you’ve removed the beets, what if you added some white vinegar to the water and saved it to dye Easter eggs!?

Or, throw in the beet peels and whatever other veggie scraps you have on hand and you’ve got homemade vegetable stock in about an hour.

However you cook them, beets are a simple root, and can be dressed up to suit the occasion. They’re super dense, so they will take a while to soften. Do not be dismayed, they will eventually cook.

Roasted Whole/Halved/Quartered

Scrub well. Halve, quarter, or place whole on a baking sheet. Pierce a few times with a fork. Roast at 350F for about 60-90 minutes (or until the beet is easily pierced by a fork, but isn’t mushy).
Remove from oven and let cool.
Remove skin.

Beet Chips

Scrub and peel beets. Thinly slice.
Toss beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay on a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes, or until beets are slightly crispy and tender.
Remove from oven and cool.

Steamed

Scrub well. Quarter and place in a steamer basket in a pot with boiling water. Steam for about 20-25 minutes, or until the beet is easily pierced by a fork, but isn’t mushy.
Remove from steamer and let cool.
Remove skin.

Boiled

Scrub well.
Quarter and place in a pot of cold water. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and boil for about 20-25 minutes, or until the beet is easily pierced by a fork, but isn’t mushy.
Remove from water and let cool.
Remove skin.

Handling beets makes for red fingers. Beware. 😉

Happy Beeting!

Wednesday

3

April 2013

0

COMMENTS

Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce – Episode 61

Written by Rachel, Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Appetizers, Condiments, Dinner, Fennel Pollen, Fruit, Gluten Free, Kid-Friendly, Roasting, Sauces, Sides, Snacks, This Week's Feast, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I think at this time of year, the word pollen might be a bad bad word. I, for example, have sneezed approximately seventeen hundred thousand times in the past two weeks. I wonder if I’m allergic to something?!

Here’s a kind of pollen you can get into: Fennel Pollen. I told you about it in December when I’d just begun to try it out. I’m still experimenting, but so far, everything I’ve added it to I’ve liked (not to be confused with “add it to everything”).

I used it on two episodes of the show and made some bright green Savory French Toast that is holy moly good, and some oh boy this is good too, in a totally different way, Mahi Mahi, Fennel, and Potato Chowder.

And this week, I used it again. This time in a dip for some beets, fennel, potatoes, and carrots. Not just any beets, fennel, potatoes, and carrots though. They’re roasted. Which makes almost any vegetable about a thousand times better (and that’s saying a lot, because I like vegetables).

They’re meant to be served alongside Fennel Pollen Burgers. But, those weren’t for the show. They’re for Friday’s post, so you’ll just have to wait… If you can’t, just make the veggies twice!

It’s time to get dippin’, friends.

Happy Eating!

Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 57 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 12 minutes

Yield: 4

Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

2 potatoes, chopped
1 fennel bulb, core removed, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 beets, peeled and chopped
1 T olive oil, divided
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 lemon wedge/serving
sauce: 1/8 to 1/4 C buttermilk (1 T white vinegar and fill to 1/4 C with milk - stir and let sit for a few minutes)
1/4 C Greek yogurt
2 T mayonnaise
1/2 stalk green garlic, diced
2 pinches salt
pinch pepper
pinch fennel pollen
1 t red wine vinegar
1 t to 1 T olive oil

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Cut veggies to be about the same size. Using a separate bowl for the fennel, and for the beets, toss with 1 T olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Put beets on a baking sheet and bake for 2 min. Place the carrots and potatoes on another baking sheet. Add to oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
Add fennel to beet sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until veggies are tender on the inside, crispy on the outside.
While veggies roast, whisk together dressing ingredients, adding olive oil last, and whisking it in. Let it sit in the fridge until veggies are ready.
Serve veggies with a squeeze of lemon and the sauce to dip them in.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/boom-roasted-ep61/

This episode is sponsored by: Abundant Harvest Organics, Bari Olive Oil Company, Waterfall Creative, Molly Jenson.

Monday

18

March 2013

0

COMMENTS

Beet and Parmesan Pasta

Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegetables, Vegetarian

During the colder winter months, we get lots of root veggies from Abundant Harvest Organics. Things like rutabagas, turnips, and beets. We get other produce too, of course, but the root veggies are usually the ones that I have more trouble using up.

Especially beets.

I’m new to liking beets. So I’m learning to be creative with their preparation.

I took last week off from my show. I try to do this every few months or so, not for a vacation, but to work on the behind the scenes stuff that can get neglected. Planning, blog maintenance, and cleaning out the produce drawers are some of those oft thought of, but rarely done chores.

My produce drawers are now almost empty.

A little while ago I made Beet Chips as a part of a Mâche and Citrus Salad. Since then, I’d been wondering if those little chips would be good in pasta. So I looked through The Flavor Bible to see things that might compliment and made up a dish for a dinner last week.

It’s pretty simple. Think beets, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and honey with pasta. Add a few more carefully chosen ingredients, and dinner is ready.

Happy Eating!

Much Ado About Beets

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 36 minutes

Total Time: 56 minutes

Yield: 3

Much Ado About Beets

Ingredients

3 servings rice penne pasta
16 small beets, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 t olive oil, divided
1-2 t garlic smoked sea salt (or regular salt)
1/4 t pepper, divided
1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t honey
2 T lemon juice, divided
1 T cornstarch
1/4 C cold water
1 C pasta water
3/4 C parmesan cheese, plus a little more for topping
lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Toss beets with 1 t olive oil, 1 t garlic salt, and 1/8 t pepper. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, switch position in oven (if using 2 baking sheets) and bake 5-10 min more, or until beets are tender and crispy.
Cook pasta.
Heat skillet and add oil. Add shallot and 1/4 t salt. Cook oven med-low heat for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, honey, and 1 T lemon juice, and cook 2 minutes.
Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 C cold water. Add to shallot mixture along with remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened. Add beets and pasta water.
Drain pasta and toss with beet mixture. Add parmesan cheese and 1 T lemon juice.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a lemon wedge.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/much-ado-about-beets/

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Beets Archive

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Sweet and Spicy Roasted Beet and Carrot Soup

Happy Eating!

15

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Hearty Winter Salad with Dill Dressing

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17

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How To Cook Beets

Happy Beeting!

3

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Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce – Episode 61

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Beet and Parmesan Pasta

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