Beets & Squash

This is a little salad I put together one day. A lot of restaurants serve beet salads with a streak of goat cheese across the plate, so I thought why not replace the cheese with a puree of butternut squash, which goes very well with beets.

It’s a simple dish, and very easy to put together. Get some red, golden, and striped baby beets. Toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place in a roasting pan. Add a little water to the pan, and cover the pan with foil. This will steam the beets a little to keep them from drying out. Not too much water – you’re roasting the beets, not simmering them.

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and pulp. Drizzle some olive oil around and sprinkle salt and pepper.

Roast the squash and the beets at 350, the beets for about 45 minutes and the squash for 45-60 minutes, until fork tender.

Peel the beets while still warm – the skin will slip right off. Use a kitchen towel. Cut the beets in half or quarters, depending on size.

Scoop out all the flesh from the squash and place in a food processor, puree until smooth. Taste and season.

With a spoon, place a dab of the puree on each serving plate. Toss the beets with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chives. Arrange the beets in two lines down either side of the puree, alternating the colors. Toss some arugula with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place in the middle. Serve right away, so the arugula doesn’t wilt and the beets don’t bleed into the squash.

Making squash puree