A Chioggia beet (originating from the Italian town of Chioggia, near Venice) resembles any other variety of red beet, until you peel it and cut it open. The inside of a raw Chioggia beet is red and white striped. When cooked, the stripes fade, but the iron, potassium, fiber and calcium are more easily absorbed. It takes longer to roast a beet than to boil it, so I generally I don’t roast beets (or any vegetables) for breakfast. But — there is always a but — on cold January Sunday mornings when breakfast sometimes becomes brunch, I am more inclined to do it, as I did today. The result is a sweet, satisfying winter dish.
serves 4
INgredients
1 bunch Chioggia beets (about 6 beets)
1 half acorn squash
a few sprigs rosemary
1 Tablespoon EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
pinch sea salt
Process Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the beets and rinse them.
Halve each one lengthwise
and then cut each half into quarters.
Remove the seeds from the center of the squash.
Remove the thick tough stem and then cut the squash into about 6 slim wedges and set aside.
Arrange the squash and beets in a baking pan. Separate the rosemary leaves from the stem and scatter the leaves over the squash and beets.
Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until a fork easily penetrates the beets (the squash will soften before the beets). Remove from the oven and arrange on individual plates.
©Nancy Wolfson-Moche 2014
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