Think You Hate Beets? So Do I!

I used to hate beets.

Then I read a recipe that had walnuts, caramelized onions and goat cheese baked into a beet tart. Guess what?

I still hate beets! So why am I writing about a recipe I hate? Two reasons.

To encourage all beet haters. You aren’t alone! And…
To suggest an alternative ingredient with the walnuts and goat cheese.

So I wanted to prepare something a little different. 007 would be grilling some lamb chops and I wanted a side dish that would truly compliment the lamb. I read that beets were the perfect side to serve with lamb. NOT! The clue that I somehow missed is that if you don’t like beets, there’s no amount of goat cheese that will mask the taste!

Goat Cheese, Roasted Beet and Walnut Tart

Ingredients:

2-3 small beets

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 Pillsbury Pie crust, thawed

3 large eggs

3/4 cup heavy cream

4 ounces of fresh goat cheese

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon walnut or olive oil

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350. Wash beets and dry with a paper towel. Place them in a small ovenproof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about an hour.

After the beets cool, peel and dice them. Wear gloves to prevent beet stains.

Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, a little salt and pepper and cook, stirring every few minutes until tender. Add white wine and scrape up brown bits in the bottom of pans.

Add the pie shell to a pie plate and crimp the edges. Toss the beets and onion together and put them into the pie shell.

Whisk the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper and carefully pour over the beets and onion, letting the cream seep evenly into the beets. Dot the cream cheese all over the top of the tart. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake it 20 minutes. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top and drizzle with oil. Return the tart to oven and bake until set – about 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Alternative To Beets: 1 – 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced.

Beat the beets! Use sweet potatoes!

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Celebrate Your Story, Mommy Moments, Rustic and Refined, Coastal Charm,