Bite Of MN: Raw Beets With Pistachio-Mint Pesto
Beets are good for you; full of vitamins and iron and are great at detoxifying your body. While I know these facts, I still cannot bring myself to eat beets on a regular basis. I've had them roasted, shredded, steamed and pureed with only glimpses of success.
The Angry Trout, for example, slipped shredded beets into my salad and I dutifully ate them, wondering if this was a turning point for my taste buds. It just may have been.
A month ago, I attended the Homegrown Experience, a food and wine event focused on local, organic and sustainable foods in the Twin Cities. Molly Herrmann, owner of Tastebud catering, conducted a demo using beets and a pistachio-mint pesto. When the samples were passed around, I was pleasantly surprised that I really liked it!
Molly explained that raw beets are a good place to start for non-beet lovers because they have a milder flavor than cooked beets. Wanting to test this theory at home, I picked up some yellow beets from the market and got to work thinly slicing the beets and topping each with pistachio-mint pesto and goat cheese.
Both my husband and I enjoyed these so much that we made a second batch and can't wait to bring the appetizer to a dinner party. This combination can also be served in salad form by slicing the beets into matchsticks and tossing with greens, pistachio-mint pesto and goat cheese.
Now I'm off to find more beet recipes that I will like. Any suggestions?
Raw Beets with Pistachio-Mint Pesto
Serves 4
1 cup mint leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup pistachios, roasted and shelled
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt, to taste (omit salt if pistachios are already salted)
1/2 cup olive oil, or more to achieve desired consistency
1-2 large beets, peeled and sliced into thin discs using a knife or mandoline
2 oz. creamy goat cheese
Place mint and pistachios in a food processor or blender and pulse to chop. Add lemon juice, honey and salt (if using) and pulse to incorporate. Slowly add olive oil while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
Arrange raw beet slices on a platter. Dot each piece with pistachio-mint pesto and goat cheese. Garnish with fresh herbs.
Crystal Grobe writes the Bite of Minnesota blog as well as Cafe Cyan.
