Recipe: French Baked Beets

FRENCH BAKED BEETS

"This recipe calls for marinating the beets for roughly a half hour in balsamic vinegar; this process adds a slightly pickled flavor and helps to break down the beet fibers. The wonderful collection of herbs found in the herbes de Provence mixture further enhances the earthy flavor of the beets. Originating in France, the herb blend is usually dominated by thyme - a French pantry staple."

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
6 fresh medium beets, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl, mix vinegar, garlic, herbes de Provence and rosemary. Place beets in the mixture and marinate 30 minutes.

Place beets and marinade in a 7x11 glass baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 35-40 minutes, or until beets are tender. Remove beets, place on a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: You can reserve the extra sauce and blend with olive oil for a tasty salad dressing.

Makes 5 servings
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research