Maple Caramelized Yellow Or Chioggia Beets With Lemon And Dill Recipes

MAPLE-CARAMELIZED YELLOW OR CHIOGGIA BEETS WITH LEMON AND DILL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to a minimum temperature of 180° C (350° F).
• Put ham on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and into the oven. Allow it to dry out for about 20 minutes (or more if necessary) to make the ham quite brittle. Break it into small pieces. (This step can be done in advance.)
• In a saucepan of salted water, cook the beets about 40 minutes. Drain. Remove skins.
• In a bowl, combine the cream cheese with the pieces of ham and half the minced dill.
• Cut each of the cooked beets into 3 or 4 thick rounds.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the maple syrup. Place the beet rounds into the mixture and caramelize over low heat, taking care not to burn them. Remove, place on parchment paper, and let cool.
• Into the centre of each beet slice, place a knob of cheese and stick the next slice to it. Do not put cheese on the top slice.
• In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, maple flakes or nuggets, the rest of the minced dill, and the remaining cream cheese.
• Place beet mounds on serving dishes, and drizzle maple-cream cheese sauce around them. Garnish with dill stems. Season with pepper. Serve warm or cold.

MAPLE GLAZED BEETS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the beets in a roasting pan.
• Dot with 1 tablespoon of margarine, and roast the beets, covered, for about 30 minutes.
• Melt the other 2 tablespoons of margarine in the microwave.
• Stir in the maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice.
• Pour this mixture over the beets.
• Bake, covered, for another 30 minutes, or until the beets are tender and the sauce is thick.
• Sprinkle with the lemon zest and serve.

ROASTED CHIOGGIA BEETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F; wash beets and trim stems to within 1 inch.
• Place beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil, toss with 3 tablespoons oil, peppercorns, garlic, thyme, and salt.
• Wrap in the foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast until tender, 25 to 50 minutes (depending on the size of the beets).
• Once beets are cool enough to handle, rub each with a paper towel to remove skin; trim off stems and roots.
• Place beets ina bag, season with half the olive oil, half the sherry vinegar, and a pinch of salt; vacuum seal.
• Refrigerate beets and allow to marinate 8 to 12 hours.
• Just before serving, season with remaining olive oil and sherry vinegar.