Try this Beet Salad I and II recipe
- Carbohydrate 85.1390975 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.18369 g
- Fiber 13.1359747824073 g
- Protein 7.5610275 g
- Saturated Fat 0.59703725 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (540g)
- Sodium 352.314 mg
- Sugar 72.0031227175927 g
- Trans Fat 0.331405250000001 g
- Calories 383 calories
Step-by-step
- Wash beets well, being careful not to break their skins. Cut off the tops, leaving a stalk of about 1 1/2". Boil in a 3 quart saucepan until tender, covered. Allow the water to cool, then slip off the skins, trim off the tops, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the beets. Let marinate for 1 hour before serving.
- Beet Salad II: Prepare as described above, but add 1 tsp. orange flower water, 1/8 tsp. cumin, a pinch of paprika, and a little water to the sauce.
- Yield: Approx. 2 cups.
- From _Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco_ by Paula Wolfert. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1987. Pp. 76-77. ISBN 0-06-091396-7. Posted by Cathy Harned.
- Recipe by: from Cheshire website Posted to EAT-L Digest by shade <liveoak@POLARIS.NET> on Jul 5, 1997
Cold, tender root vegetables yield to the bite while absorbing a sharp, spiced citrus dressing. Texture dictates the success of this preparation. Boiling the roots whole preserves their sugars and moisture inside the skin. Leave roughly an inch and a half of the stem intact during boiling to prevent bleeding of pigment and flavor into the water. Boiling requires a standard 3-quart saucepan fitted with a lid to maintain a steady boil. Piercing the flesh with a metal skewer offers the definitive test for doneness; the tool should slide into the center with zero resistance. Thermal shock ruins cellular structure, so allow the cooking water to cool naturally before handling the produce. Slipping the skins off by hand works best when the roots are lukewarm rather than ice-cold or piping hot.
Controlling Density and Absorption
Raw roots present a dense, woody barrier to seasonings. Cooking breaks down rigid pectin walls, transforming firm raw vegetable matter into tender morsels capable of absorbing liquids. Once peeled, chop the flesh into uniform bite-sized chunks to maximize surface area contact with the marinade. Acid from fresh lemon juice breaks down the exterior cells slightly, so letting the mixture rest for at least 60 minutes allows the oil, sugar, and cinnamon to penetrate past the outer millimeter.Equipment Adjustments
Standard kitchen tools suffice for this method without requiring specialized culinary gadgets. A dull paring knife crushes the delicate exterior layers during peeling, so sharpen your blade before trimming the cooled roots. If a 3-quart saucepan is unavailable, a deep sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid will accommodate the volume of water needed to submerge one pound of roots. Reserve any excess cooking liquid for vegetable stock if desired.
