Roasted Baby Beets

I love beets.  Not only do they taste good but also they are a natural blood pressure lower-er (?).  Anyway, remember to wear gloves when dealing with beets and cover your cutting board with a plastic cutting board or you'll end up being purple.  Not a good look for a dinner party.  Great with a roasted bird of some sort...

Makes 4-6 servings
Hands on time 25 min.
Total time 1 hr., 55 min.  

Ingredients

• 
  Preparation2 pounds baby beets
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces $
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 fresh parsley sprigs
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper $
• 1 tablespoon olive oil $
• Toppings: chopped hazelnuts, coarsely chopped fresh parsley, crumbled ricotta salata cheese

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove tops and ends of beets; wash beets, and place in an 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Dot with butter. Stir together broth and next 6 ingredients; pour over beets. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Remove beets, reserving 1/4 cup pan juices. Cool beets 15 minutes; peel and quarter.
2. 2. Cook beets in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Pour reserved pan juices over beets; increase heat to medium-high. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 1 Tbsp. Serve with desired toppings.

Tyler Brown, The Hermitage Hotel, Nashville, TN, Southern Living
OCTOBER 2011