roasted heirloom beets with whipped goat cheese and pistachio pesto
There’s a lot going on here and all for good reason.
what you need
for the roasted beets
2-3 bunches of heirloom beets (more colors the better!), cleaned + tops cut off
apple cider vinegar
2 sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper
for the whipped goat cheese
8- 10 oz of goat cheese
2 anchovy fillets (ideally packed in olive oil)
1-2 tbsp of milk or cream
1-2 tbsp of lemon juice
for the pistachio pesto
1/4 c unsalted, shelled pistachios
2/3 c packed basil leaves
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper
for the vinegar honey
honey
vinegar (i like to use champagne vinegar)
fresh cracked black pepper
*A NOTE BEFORE YOU BEGIN: I don’t often measure ingredients when I cook. I’ve given estimates of what I used but let your eyes and mouth be your guide as you make. look to see what is needed and taste, taste, taste along the way to adjust as you go.
what you do
roast the beets
preheat oven to 375 degrees. add beets to a baking dish and fill with water until beets are 2/3 of the way covered. add a few splashes of apple cider vinegar (2-3 tbsp), thyme springs and a pinch of salt + pepper. Cover tightly with foil and roasted for 1 hour or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife and the skin can be rubbed off. cool completely then peel the beats by rubbing off the skin (should easily come off if the beets have been roasted long enough. halve or quarter the beets depending on the size.
make the pesto
combine pistachios, basil, garlic, cheese and a healthy pour of olive oil in a food processor. pulse to combine until all ingredients are well incorporated. add more oil as needed. taste and season with salt and pepper (or more garlic or cheese, depending on your preference). save for later
make the whipped goat cheese
in a clean food processor, add goat cheese, 1 tbsp of milk or cream, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and anchovy fillets. pulse until creamy, adding more milk as needed to make a smooth (yet still thick) cheese. transfer to a clean bowl and keep in fridge until ready to use
make the vinegar honey
combine honey and vinegar in about a 4:1 ratio. I recommend taking two big spoonfuls of honey and mixing in a splash of champagne vinegar along with a few cracks of fresh black pepper. the honey should still be syrupy but not quite as thick, and have a lovely sour zing to it!
assemble
on a small round plate, smear a few spoonfuls of whipped goat cheese to make your base. arrange the beets on top, cut side up, arranging so colors are evenly dispersed. dollop pistachio pesto in small spoonfuls on top, and then drizzle with honey vinegar.
this can be served as is, with crusty bread or lightly dressed greens.
