Wk 10 – Honey Dijon Roasted Beets

When we were in North Carolina, we stopped at Mitchell’s Farm to pick our own vegetables for a big vegetable soup.  While there the lady says, “Don’t forget to pick some beets…they are ripe and ready.”  Well, we didn’t pick any beets and I have been asking myself why ever since.  As a kid I didn’t like them, but then again what kid does?  As an adult I haven’t really found a vegetable/root that I don’t like so I decided it was time to give them another try.  These beets we bought out at the Farmer’s Market and they have been sitting in my refrigerator for a week.  I just couldn’t decide how I wanted to cook them, so I have been looking at recipes.  I love anything roasted…so here’s the one I chose off of Big Oven….

Honey Dijon Roasted Beets

• 2 lbs fresh red beets
• 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbl unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup of honey Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbl lemon juice
• 3 Tbl fresh mint, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375.  Remove greens and root from beets (but don’t trim to closely).  Place beets in medium bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss.  Transfer to roasting pan and spread beets in a single layer; roast in oven until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes for small, 45 minutes for very large.

Remove pan from oven and let beets cool.  When cool enough to handle, remove skins and quarter or cut into eighths depending of the beet size.

Melt butter in a large pan over medium high heat.  Add beets and cook, stirring often, until lightly caramelized, about 4 to 6 minutes.  Drizzle lemon juice over beets and season with salt and pepper.

Stir in mustard and continue to cook over medium heat 2 minutes.  If desired, add mint and stir to coat the beets.