amy chaplin

celebrating the art of eating well

Beet mélange

POSTED ON September 12, 2010

quinoa, chickpea, salad and beet mélange

I am not sure what this delicious beet thing should be called.  I made it with the remaining beets from my last post when I was in need of something to jazz up the plain quinoa and chickpeas I was going to serve a friend for lunch.

I thought it was good, but my guest fell in love with it and that’s when I realized that these quick lunch shots would become part of a post; not just my ever-expanding photo library. We discussed the name…not marmelade-y enough to be under that title or juicy enough to be a compote. Relish? no not that either, she suggested mélange instead…and so, we left it at that.

Whatever you decide to call it, this dish remains to me a perfect condiment to be eaten room temperature with all my favorite things (all of which can be found in the archives): chickpeas with toasted black sesame seeds; and quinoa accompanied by a green market salad made with pickled radishes, avocado, purslane, dressed with flax and lemon and garnished with pea shoots, radish sprouts and toasted seeds.

I suggest doubling this recipe and storing it in the fridge to enjoy later as a quick snack or on a sourdough rye bread sandwich. Yum!

 

beet mélange

onions and garlic

cooking beets

delicious and simple lunch

Beet mélange

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, sliced

1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped

Pinch sea salt

2 small beet, grated

2 to 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Black pepper

Warm oil in a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat, add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer, onions should be almost caramelized and beginning to brown.

Stir in sea salt and grated beets and continue cooking for a few minutes more. Lower heat, cover with a lid and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove lid, add balsamic vinegar and stir, cook until any liquid is gone and beets are well cooked. Season with black pepper to taste and remove from heat, serve at room temperature.

Serves two as a side dish.


TAGGED UNDER: balsamic vinegar, onion



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