It is June and fresh beets are coming in heavy right now at our Farmer’s Markets. I always grab at least two bunches, so I can enjoy them throughout the week. The first step is cleaning. Beets are a root vegetable and usually very dirty. I like to trim off the greens ( leaving about an inch of them intact. I also leave on the root. This helps keeps in the beet dye, retaining more of its beautiful color. Scrub the beets with a brush and wash very well.
Roasting method: Drizzle in olive oil, wrap in foil and bake 400 degrees until soft, usually around 1 hour. Let cool, then peel.
Boiling Method: Place in large pot, cover with water, throw in a dash of vinegar, and boil for around 30 minutes. Let cool, then peel.
I like to wash and cook my beets as soon as I return from the market. I usually boil, peel, dice and keep them refrigerated in a covered bowl and eat throughout the week.
So tonight I grabbed the cooked beets trying to decide what to do with them. I threw some of the diced beets on a platter, added a cucumber from my garden and sliced half an onion. I made a lemon thyme vinaigrette to drizzled on the top.
Helpful hint- do not stir or toss this salad before serving. Once stirred, this salad turns beet pink. I like to place the beets on the serving platter first and layer from there.
Beet and Cucumber Salad
Description
Beets and cucumbers with a simple lemon thyme dressing.
Ingredients
Dressing
Instructions
-
Wash the beets and trim the green ends close to the beet, but do not cut into the the actual beet.
Place in a pot and cover with water. Boil for 30 minutes until tender.
Drain and allow to cool. With a knife or paper towel, peel the beets and dice into whatever size you like.
Peel the cucumbers and slice or dice.
Mix the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Do not toss, that enables everything to keep its individual color.
