Two-Way Beet Salad

Beets are one of those vegetables that you either love or hate. I’d had beets just once that I can remember prior to when Selim and I started dating, and I hated them that one time. So for years, I never tasted another beet. Selim likes them a lot and eventually convinced me to try them again. I was skeptically, but he converted me into a beet-eater.

A lot of times we just grate a beet in with whatever other salad ingredients we’re using that day. But I wanted to make a salad that showcased the beet itself. You may think it sounds ridiculous to roast some of the beets and not others – after all, once they’re all mixed together they barely look any different! But I’d give it a whirl. The roasted beets have a different texture and flavor than the raw ones. It gives this salad a greater depth of flavor, I think.

Two-Way Beet Salad

Ingredients: 

• 2 medium beets
• Olive oil, divided (2 tsp + 1 tbsp)
• Salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2oz feta, crumbled

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Take one of the beets – scrub clean, peel, and chop into small rectangles/squares.
3. Toss the beet cubes in 2 tsp of olive oil and a few dashes of salt & pepper. Spread on a foil-lined cookie sheet and place in the oven on a middle rack. Roast for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, take the other beet and similarly clean it. Grate this one via one of the larger holes on your grater. Place in a large bowl.
5. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, thyme, and a few more turns of black pepper in a small bowl.
6. Once the roasting beets are done, add them to the bowl with the raw, shredded beets. Toss with the vinaigrette.
7. Top with feta and serve.