“Bears. beets. Battlestar Galactica.” If you’re familiar with Dwight Schrute from NBC’s hit TV series The Office, you’ll know how many times this character, a beet farmer, refers to this underutilized vegetable. We’re presenting Colorado Proud beets and burrata for this recipe. month, and you won’t be disappointed with how well the humble beet fits into your meal rotation.
In terms of nutritional value, the golden beet is very similar to that of red beets. They have similar carbohydrate, fat and protein content and both are: just as full of potassium, a blood pressure lowering mineral. The main nutritional difference between the two is the pigments, which provide nutrients commonly found in other yellow and orange vegetables. Vitamin C, Vitamin A, beta carotene, flavonoid and zeaxanthin are abundant in golden beets. There are also some differences beyond the basic diet. For starters are golden beets sweeter in taste and less earthy in taste† For those who don’t like the taste of beetroot, chances are they will enjoy golden beets.
Burrata is an Italian-style cow’s or buffalo’s milk cheese with a firm exterior and a soft interior of stracciatella and cream, giving it an unusual, smooth texture. This cheese pairs beautifully with the sweeter golden beetroot and makes a delicious dish that’s perfect for brunch.
Each month, the Colorado Department of Agriculture presents a different agricultural product to highlight the variety and quality of the produce grown and farmed in the state. For May, Chef Jason Morse of 5280 Culinary uses Colorado beets to complement the warmer weather.
Chef Jason says, “I have to admit, I love Beets. Maybe not so much when I was a kid, but as an adult I can’t get enough. The taste is so amazing and connects you to the earth with that rich earthy flavor. I love it as a salad, side dish or just in a bowl. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I had making it. Happy cooking!”
Beets and Burrata
Chef Jason K. Morse, CEC, 5280 Culinary, LLC and Ace Hardware Grill Expert
Yield: 2 Salads
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes plus rest time
Ingredients:
12 pcs. Beets, Golden, Small
1 qt apple cider (or juice)
6-8 oz Burrata cheese, fresh, large
Flavor Rub-A-Dub Herbs, 5280 Culinary
Taste Garden Rub, 5280 Culinary
¼ cup apple vinaigrette or your favorite vinaigrette
Italian parsley, chopped if necessary
If necessary Balsamic Glaze, Dark
Preparation method:
- Wash all tools before use
- Clean and sanitize all cutting boards and preparation surfaces before use
- Read all manufacturer’s instructions before using grills, stoves, ovens and cookware
Cooking directions:
- Wash the beets and cut off the stem and root ends
- Place in a medium stock pot and cover with the cider/juice
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until fork is tender
- When the beets are done, turn off the heat and cover the pan for 5 minutes to let the beets finish.
- Uncover the beets and using tongs, carefully remove the beets on a cooling rack
- Let the beets cool for 10 minutes
- Peel the beets and cut them into quarters
- Place the beets in a mixing bowl and season with Garden Rub and Rub-A-Dub herbs
- Add ¼ cup apple vinaigrette
- Mix well and let stand for 5 minutes
- Place the mixed beets in the bottom of the dish
- Sprinkle with the fresh Burrata, drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with chopped parsley
- DEVOUR!
This brunch dish goes well with a cabernet franc of Turquoise Mesa Winery† For more information about wine, visit Colorado wine†
Visit ColoradoProud.org for a full list of recipes.
Colorado Proud is a Colorado Department of Agriculture program that promotes food and agricultural products grown, grown, or made in Colorado. The program’s 2,900 members include growers, processors, schools, restaurants and retailers statewide.
