Last week, I came down with a pretty nasty head cold.
I think it started in my yoga class, when everyone was talking about how sick they’d been for the last couple weeks, and I quietly said that I was feeling pretty great and moved my mat a little closer to the edges of the room. I swear, I should have kept my mouth shut because lo and behold, the next morning I woke up barely able to breath out of my nose.
And it persisted that way for the next five days. So last Friday, when I was at the peak (or is it valley?) of my sickness, Jason volunteered to make me dinner. It’s not that Jason never cooks around here, it’s just that when he does, I usually participate. But this particular night I was sanctioned out of the kitchen, only allowed to answer questions such as “Where do we keep the whisk?”.
To which I responded…”What the hell are you doing in there?”
Jason’s surprise dinner of garlic and shallot chicken with fingerling potatoes was exactly what I needed, a perfect remedy for my cold, but the standout part of the meal was this pickled beet salad.
Now that I’m back to being able to breath through my nose (and admitted to my yoga class that I am not, surprisingly, invincible), I recreated the salad so I could document his accomplishment.
Full credit goes to him on this one. I just took the pretty pictures.
- 3 large beets (about 2 lbs), cut in half
- Kosher salt
- 1½ cups apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ cup blue cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup hazelnuts, crushed
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add beets and cook until soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove peel (it should come off pretty easily) and cut into thin rounds.
- In a large saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, sugar, and garlic. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add beets, making sure they're fully covered. Let sit for 30 minutes, turning beets halfway through if they're not fully submerged in the vinegar.
- Once beets are pickled, arrange on a platter or in a bowl. Sprinkle with blue cheese and hazelnuts.
Amazing recipe! Love the beets! what restaurant have you had the best beet and cheese salad? Remember to add it to your Besty List! http://www.thebesty.com/thingsimadetoday
writes JuliaI vote Graze for the best beet salad in Madison!
writes Vicky[…] Quick Pickled Beet Salad with Blue Cheese and Crushed Hazelnuts […]
writes Farmer's Market & CSA Series {Week 14} - Things I Made Today