golden and red roasted beets = perfect for your Thanksgiving table!
All of the sudden it is almost Thanksgiving! And it is early this year, so we better get planning. We have a similar menu every year at our Thanksgiving table. That is a non negotiable at our house!! I like to try a few different veggies to mix things up a little bit. In the first place, they are not the top requested menu item for the big meal. For this reason, I can add a few new ideas every year. Golden and red beets are a perfect choice for your Thanksgiving menu. To begin with, they are so easy to prepare! I prefer to roast my beets, because it gives them such a sweet caramelized flavor.
golden and red beets
golden and red beets
red beets
secret ingredient alert! and something agreeable to talk about around the holiday table!!
I like to drizzle a citrus glaze on my roasted beets. For this glaze, I decided to mix fresh lemon and orange juice. A grainy mustard is frequently used to jazz up the sweet earthy flavor of the beets. I wanted to add a secret ingredient to the glaze that would give it a syrupy texture. It needed to be a perfect companion flavor to accentuate the citrus and mustard flavors. Suddenly I thought about adding a fig jelly! The fig spread is the perfect secret ingredient, because it adds a sweet rich flavor that uniquely compliments the beets. The color of the glaze is a rich amber. Suddenly you have a perfect fall side dish! And a secret ingredient to be guessed at around the Thanksgiving table.
roasted beets with dahlia
cheese roots
As you know, my Wisconsin cheese roots run deep and delicious. I am always throwing a new find on my grocery cart to experiment with. One of my latest discoveries is Wensleydale cheese. Specifically, a Yorkshire cranberry Wensleydale cheese. Of course that one is going in my grocery cart this month! I had never tried it before, and I highly recommend it. I discovered a very rich history when I looked it up. It was originally produced in Wensleydale North Yorkshire England since 1150 by Cistercian monks. Who knew?? It is a sweet crumbly cheese with honey undertones mixed with cranberries. The most perfect crumbly cheese for my roasted beets.
Wensleydale cheese
which is your favorite part?
Pick some up if you ever happen upon it at your local grocery store. I don’t know which is the favorite part of this recipe. The rich caramelized beets? The citrus and mustard glaze with a secret figgy ingredient? The cranberry crumbly sweet cheese with honey undertones? To summarize, you have to try this recipe!!
I love when the dahlias match the beets!
golden and red beets with a citrusy mustard glaze
grab your sheet pans and start roasting your beets, and while they are roasting whisk up the citrusy mustard glaze with a secret ingredient!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: vegetables
- Method: oven
Ingredients
3 pounds of small to medium beets
olive oil and salt/pepper for roasting
citrusy glaze:
1/2 lemon juice and zest
1/2 orange juice and zest
3 TB dijon mustard
2 TB whole grain mustard
3 TB fig jelly spread ( usually available in the deli or bakery area in the grocery store) ((SECRET INGREDIENT))
2 TB olive oil ( you may use a flavored olive oil if desired – I have used a lemon flavored one with great results)
1/4 cup Wensleydale cranberry cheese ( alternatively you may use a white cheddar cranberry if not available) for sprinkling on the top
4 sprigs of fresh thyme stripped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Wash and SCRUB all of the dirt off of the skin of the beets
Cut the beets and quarter them
Place in a big bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper
Place on sheet pan leaving space between the beets
Roast for 25- 30 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized – Halfway through cooking, remove from oven and loosen with spatula
While beets are roasting whisk the glaze ingredients
Crumble the cheese and strip the thyme and keep separate
Remove cooked beets from the oven and toss with glaze
Place on serving platter
Sprinkle with cheese and fresh thyme
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