This week we roast the first of Ranui Garden garlic in the same casserole as the beets we also find in our CSA box. The garlic roasts into buttery goo and at the same time subtly infuses the beets with garlic essence. This recipe for roasted golden beets and their greens with garlic orange dressing features both the beets and their greens in one delicious dish.
Mellow roasted garlic orange vinaigrette seasons both the bed of warm sautéed beet greens underneath and the sliced roasted beets nestled on top. Sweet roasted beets juxtaposed with their barely bitter greens and tangy salty feta cheese, all in the same bite–sweet, sour, salty and bitter–yum!
Make this recipe as soon as you get the beets, because beet greens deteriorate more quickly than other greens. The cheapatarian in me hates to see them go to waste.
Some of the roasted garlic goes in the garlic orange dressing–the extra cloves are great spread on crackers or crostini.
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Roasted Golden Beets and their Greens with Garlic Orange Dressing
Two vegetables in one--beets and their greens. Wilted beet greens become the bed for roasted beets--all are dressed with a delicious roasted garlic and orange dressing.
- 1 pound golden beets
- 1 head garlic
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Real Salt , or to taste
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup feta cheese , optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim the beet tops, leaving a 1-inch tail, reserving the top greens. Scrub the beets.
Break the garlic up into individual cloves, but don’t peel them. Put the beets and the garlic cloves in a small casserole, add about ½ cup of water and cover with a lid or foil.
Bake until a knife slips easily into the largest beet, about 1 hour; the time will vary depending on the size of the beets.
Meanwhile tear the beet greens off their stems, discarding any yellowed or wilted greens. Cut them into 1-inch ribbons. Set aside.
When the beets are tender, let them cool enough so you can slip off the skins. Trim the tips and tails and cut the beets in wedges or slices.
Squeeze about half the cloves of cooked garlic into a bowl and mash it well with a fork. Add the first 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, minced onion, salt and cayenne, and whisk together well. Toss the beets with half of this dressing.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet. Add the beet green ribbons. Cook and stir until the greens are wilted and tender. Toss in the remaining dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the greens to a serving plate. Arrange the dressed beets over the greens. If desired, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese, .
