Balsamic Marinated Beets

Well I've been a bit delinquent, haven't I. Life got really busy and, although I've been cooking just as frequently as I used to, I just haven't put aside enough time for blogging. That will be changing right...now.

I'll save the long story on this recipe. I just love roasted beets and I wanted to prepare them somehow that wasn't just plain roasted and then tossed into a salad or grain dish or pickled, as I wasn't really feeling all that vinegar. The solution: a simple balsamic marinade with a little twist - pomegranate molasses. You can't really taste it, but its tart-sweet flavor makes these beets special. Don't worry if you don't have this ingredient or can't find it - I've made these beets without it many times and they're still great.



I usually make these to go on my favorite sandwich (forthcoming, I promise) but I often find myself just eating them straight out of the bowl. However you eat them, they're delicious. And although roasting the beets takes about an hour, it's the easiest thing to do and it's completely hands-off. Mixing up the marinade takes just a minute and time does the work of infusing the flavors into the beets. It doesn't get any easier than this.

*****

Balsamic-Marinated Beets

serves 4

vegan and gluten-free

1 bunch beets (about 1 1/2 pounds), greens trimmed and reserved for another use

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
Pinch of turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt

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Heat oven to 425 F. Wash the beets well, wrap them in a large piece of foil, place in a baking dish, and roast until a thin sharp knife can be inserted easily, about 45 minutes. Let the beets cool until they are warm enough to handle, about 20 minutes, then peel them. (The skins slip off very easily after the beets have been roasted - just use a little pressure to rub them off.)

[If you're in a rush, you can cut the beets - into quarters for large one and in half for small ones - and roast them in a foil-lined pan covered with foil (to keep the steam in), which takes about 20 minutes. Let the beets cool about 10 minutes, then slip the skins off.

Slice the beets a little less than ¼” thick and transfer to a large bowl.

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and pomegranate molasses in a medium bowl. Add the oil and whisk to combine, then season with salt. Pour the marinade over the warm beets and toss gently to combine. Let the beets marinate at room temperature for at least a half hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.