Cassian’s Roast Beets and Goat Cheese
There’s a scene in ACOWAR when Feyre is introducing Lucien to the Inner Circle for dinner, and Cassian reaches for a dish of beets and goat cheese. That scene stuck in my mind because a male creature was willingly reaching for beets, something I’ve never experienced or witnessed in person.
“Honestly,” I said to Lucien, who wordlessly stacked a pile of buttery green beans onto his plate but didn’t touch it, perhaps marveling at the simple fare, so at odds with the overwrought dishes of Spring, “Azriel is the only polite one.” A few cries of outrage from Mor and Cassian, but a ghost of a smile danced on the shadowsinger’s mouth as he dipped his head and hauled a platter of roast beets sprinkled with goat cheese toward himself. “Don’t even try to pretend that it’s not true.” Page 180 of A Court of Wings and Ruin
That scene also stuck out for me because I’ve long disliked beets, but somehow pairing them with goat cheese sounded delicious. Maybe I could find a way to spice or season the beets in a way that made them palatable and less like a mouthful of soil.
Ingredients
Roughly 6 medium to large beets, bonus points if you can get both red and gold.
1 yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp Olive Oil, and Balsamic vinegar
Spices: Cinnamon, Clove, Allspice, and nutmeg. About 1/4-1/2 tsp of each.
Salt and Pepper: roughly 1tsp of each.
3tbsp maple syrup
Crumbled goat cheese and fresh basil garnish
Directions
Heat a large pot of water to simmer, and wash your beets well, trimming the greens and any long roots off of them. Set the greens aside for another meal, they’re super nutrient dense and make a great wilted green. Add your beets to the simmering water and cover, letting them cook for about 10 minutes.
Fish your beets out of your water, and plunge them into some cold water, this will help loosen the skins so they come off easily.
Once your beets are peeled, slice them into thin rounds, about 1/8th inch thick.
In a bowl, combine the oil and vinegar, maple syrup and spices and minced garlic with a whisk. Then dump in your beet rounds and your onion, and toss until well coated. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
In a square or round baking dish, place a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit your dish, and lay the beets and onions in a layer or two until the bottom is covered. Pour any remaining marinade into the dish. Heat your oven to 425 and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the top has begin to crisp.
Remove from the oven and top with goat cheese and chopped fresh basil.
I don’t know how I achieved it, but I loved this dish. Its earthy and yet sweet and the creamy goat cheese paired beautifully with the balsamic maple flavor. Served with some oven roasted herb chicken and potatoes and it was perfect.
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