Beets with Blue Cheese and Walnuts
Serves 4 to 6
Cooking Time 6 to 7 hours on Low or 4 to 5 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Roasting beets can take up to an hour, which is a long time for the oven to be occupied
by a simple side, and steaming them can lead to a loss in flavor. Moving ours to the
slow cooker both freed up the oven and guaranteed beets with an undiluted, earthy
flavor. Wrapping the beets in aluminum foil and including half a cup of water in the
slow cooker ensured that they cooked through evenly. Coating them with vegetable oil
spray helped a bit of salt and pepper to adhere. Rather than skin the beets when they
were raw—which can be a messy endeavor—we waited until they were cooked and simply
rubbed the skins off with paper towels. Cutting our beets into fork-friendly wedges
ensured that they were easy to eat, and a simple balsamic vinaigrette added brightness.
Crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and fresh mint turned our slow-cooked veggie
into an impressive bistro-style side dish. To ensure even cooking, we recommend using
beets that are similar in size—roughly 3 inches in diameter. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
2 |
pounds beets, trimmed |
|
|
Vegetable oil spray |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
½ |
cup water |
|
¼ |
cup balsamic vinegar |
|
3 |
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
|
¼ |
cup chopped fresh mint |
|
½ |
cup crumbled blue cheese |
|
½ |
cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse |
1. Spray beets with vegetable oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Wrap beets individually in aluminum foil and place in slow cooker. Add water, cover, and cook until beets are tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
2. Transfer beets to cutting board and carefully remove foil (watch for steam); discard water. When beets are cool enough to handle, rub off skins with paper towels or dish towel and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges.
3. Whisk vinegar, oil, and mint together in large bowl. Add beets and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with blue cheese and walnuts and serve.