Beet And Sweet Potato Casserole With Goat Cheese Recipes

SWEET POTATO AND GOAT CHEESE GRATIN WITH BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you are using an aluminum baking sheet, cover the bottom with parchment paper or Silpat, so that the potatoes won't discolor and turn brown while baking. If you are using a ceramic or stainless-steel baking sheet, you don't need to cover the bottom. Slice each sweet potato in half, lengthwise, and place face down on the tray. Bake until they are soft, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
• Increase the heat in the oven to 400 degrees, place the pitted olives on a small baking sheet, and bake until they become hard and brittle, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• While the olives are baking, place a medium-size sauté pan with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Add the butter and brown it until it turns a hazelnut color and has a nutty fragrance, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chopped shallots and allow to cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Be careful not to burn the butter.
• When the sweet potatoes are cool, scoop out the insides and place in a bowl. Pour the butter and shallot mixture over the sweet potatoes, and mix. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, going lightly on the salt since the olives, which are added at the end, are salty. Place the sweet potato mix in a baking dish so that the sweet potatoes are one-inch thick. Spread the creamy goat cheese, in shallow dollops, over the sweet potatoes so that the sweet potatoes are clearly visible, at the edges and elsewhere. Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese and potatoes start to brown in some spots, about 15 minutes. The gratin won't brown like a traditional potato gratin; the colors of the sweet potatoes and the goat cheese will still be very present, but the goat cheese will turn beige, and the potatoes will begin to brown a bit.
• Once the olives are cool, chop them finely, and mix with the olive oil and the chopped basil. Spoon the olive mixture over the sweet potatoes and serve.

ROASTED BEETS 'N' SWEETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a bowl, toss the beets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large resealable plastic bag. Place the sweet potatoes and onion in the bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat vegetables with the oil mixture.
• Bake beets 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Mix sweet potato mixture with the beets on the baking sheet. Continue baking 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

ROASTED BEETS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Spread walnuts onto a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven until the nuts turn golden brown and become fragrant, about 45 minutes. Watch the nuts carefully because they burn quickly. Set walnuts aside to cool to room temperature.
• Turn oven up to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Crinkle up a piece of aluminum foil and place it into an oven-safe dish (such as a pie dish) to act as a disposable rack. Place beet onto foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the beet just starts to turn tender, about 45 minutes. Wrap beet in aluminum foil and let cool to room temperature.
• Turn oven temperature up to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Peel beet with a sharp paring knife; peel skin from beet. Cut beet in half and cut halves into thick half-moon-shaped slices.
• Drizzle walnut oil in a baking dish and brush oil over the bottom of the dish; arrange beet slices in the dish in a single layer. Crumble goat cheese into the empty spaces and over beets. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Bake beet and cheese in oven until beet pieces are sizzling and the edges of the cheese are slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Drizzle warm beet and cheese with vinegar and top with roasted walnuts, beet greens, and chives. Serve warm.