Roasted Beet(root) Salad with Pecans
One of my November 2017 recipes for Beyond Celiac, originally National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Part of my South Africa trip photo and video presentation with gluten free buffet, devoured by the wheat eaters as well.
We spent 2 weeks in South Africa and with my husband's professional photos, (including videos of stroking 2 month old white lion cubs and adult cheetah purring with its head on our sneakers) have given talks on South Africa as well as a gluten free South African buffet.
I was given this vegan recipe, and then used butter etc. It quotes maple syrup since vegans won't use honey. I use honey since I really don't know if maple syrup was available in South Africa. and no tofu. Feta cheese would be widely used in SA. We saw huge platters of feta cheese and chunks of ripe tomatoes and cucumber everywhere as there are very large Greek communities.
Roasted Beet(root) Salad with Pecans, by Marjorie Marino, Bulacan, Philippines. 4 servings. Adapted
"(English and South African name), also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet or sometimes simply as beet, is one of the many cultivated varieties of beets and arguably the most commonly encountered variety in South Africa." We love beets (beetroot)
9 small to medium red and yellow beets 2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter 1 cup (4oz) chopped pecans, toasted in oven for about 10 minutes. 1/4 c (60 ml) maple syrup or honey Salt & pepper Feta Cheese to taste - or none- my husband loves Feta.
vinaigrette:
¼ cup (60ml) white balsamic vinegar - I used Trader Joe's 1 tsp (5ml) gf Dijon mustard 3/4 cup (180ml) olive oil - I mix olive oil and avocado oil 3 Tbsp (45 ml) chopped chives or green of green onions (spring onions, scallions). South African friend suggested cilantro (coriander leaves) Salt and pepper
no sugar added to vinaigrette since nuts are mixed with maple syrup or honey and beets are sweet.
Preheat the oven to 400°F if roasting.
1. Wash and dry the beetroots and place in an oven-proof casserole dish. Bake covered from 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool, then cut off each end and peel. I also cook them in a pan with water to cover for 45-60 minutes depending on size. Watch the water doesn't boil away. To me, they lose flavor if I pressure cook them.
2. Heat the skillet/frying pan over medium heat and then add the nuts and let them heat if they were cooked in advance. Add the maple syrup/honey, let sizzle and nut honey mixture almost turns to chewy toffee. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside. Don't overcook , it burns easily.
3. To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until smooth.
4. To assemble the salad, slice the beets and arrange them on 4 plates. Sprinkle with the nuts and crumble the tofu over the beets. No tofu, feta would be more normal in SA and I don't like tofu, plus over 90% soy is gmo.Whisk the dressing once more, and then drizzle some over each plate. Serve immediately.
Remember beet comes out of your body the same color it went in, you are not bleeding to death.
