Zero Waste Beet Salad
Servings:*
2 servingsIngredients
- For the beets and pesto:
- 1 pound mixed, medium-sized beets (red and golden) with greens
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ cups pecans
- Zest of one lemon
- Juice of one lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- ½ bunch fresh parsley, with stems
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the pickled beet stem relish:
- Reserved beet stems, thinly sliced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ¼ cups finely chopped mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- ½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
-
Heat the oven to 400 F.
-
To prepare the beets: Remove the stems from the beets. Strip the greens off the stems, reserving both greens and stems.
-
Rinse the beets and pat dry with paper towels. Toss the beets in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the salt.
-
Place the beets in a small casserole dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour or until easily pierced with a fork. Let cool until safe to handle. Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, peel the skin off the beets and discard. Slice the beets into bite-size wedges. Set aside.
-
To pickle the beet stems: Place the stems in a medium heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and immediately pour the brine over the beet stems. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
-
To make the pesto: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 4 minutes.
-
Add the pecans and continue to cook for about 3 minutes or until the pecans are slightly darker in color and fragrant. Add the beet greens and sauté for 1 minute or until bright green.
-
Transfer the pesto to the blender and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley and black pepper. Blend on high for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Set aside.
-
To make the relish: Drain the pickling liquid off the beet stems. Add the finely chopped mint, jalapeños, parsley and olive oil. Stir to combine.
-
Spread the pesto on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Scatter the roasted beets on top and spoon the relish over the beets. Garnish with torn mint leaves.
-
Leftover pesto and beets can be stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftover relish can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days.