Beet Salad with Feta Cheese

2 good-sized beets
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs rice vinegar (or any bland vinegar)
4 oz feta cheese (crumbled into tiny pieces)
2-3 Tbs of sour cream
1 teaspoon mustard (a good dijon)
fresh herbs (optional)

Remove beet tops from beets, leaving an inch or so of them on the root. Wash beets well. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook. Test the beets with a fork until you can get the fork in about 1/2 an inch. You want the beets cooked well enough for the skins to slide off easily but not for the flesh to get mushy.

Put the beets into cold water (you may need to add additional cold water...and I recommend letting the tap run) and slide off skins with your fingers. If they don't slip off easily, cook them longer.

Let beets cool and then use a hand grater to cut them into pieces. Use a grater with approx. 1/4" holes.

Add all ingredients except the herbs and toss until beets are well coated.

Chill the beets in the fridge overnight.

Serve cold topped with fresh chopped herbs or edible flowers. Add some extra sour cream on top if you wish.

Serves 6

Note: if you prefer to make the salad without mustard, you can use balsamic vinegar instead of a bland vinegar (this will have more carbs).

Beets are a fairly carby vegetable but they're packed with nutrition and a little goes a long way. The serving size listed here is quite satisfying and, at 3.6 grams of usable carbs, not much of a compromise. The 2 large beets used for the total recipe have over 600 mg of potassium, 160 mcg of folate, and many healthy micronutrients making up the rich color.

(posted to rec.food.recipes 4/98)

4/22/01