Although commonly associated with hearty fall and winter dishes, beets are widely available at farmers’ markets in the spring and summer, too. Here are some of our favorite warm-weather recipes for the earthy vegetable.
These elegant appetizers come from Wolfgang Puck’s Los Angeles restaurant Spago. Laurie Ochoa wrote about the groundbreaking chef in “The King of LA,” part of our special Los Angeles issue (March 2010).
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH has some of the most amazing flavors around. In this recipe, the addition of roasted beets and poppy seeds lends the end product a festive hue and a bit of crunch.
This fresh, bright cocktail marries beet juice with bourbon and Esprit de June, a floral liqueur distilled from grape blossoms that’s available at most high-end liquor stores.
Earthy roasted beets are brightened by fresh orange zest and tangy balsamic for a clever appetizer, which looks beautiful presented in individual endive spears. To make this dish vegan, omit the Greek yogurt or use a non-dairy yogurt alternative.
Roasting beets and puréeing them with a little balsamic vinegar makes a sweet, earthy spread that’s a perfect base for slices of smoked salmon and peppery watercress.
This stunning red salad gets its color from raw shredded beets, which mix with crunchy carrots and sweet-tart apples to make a crisp accompaniment for pork chops.
