Beet Borscht Salad

Adapted from Barry Ballister’s Fruit and Vegetable Stand by Barry Ballister (The Overlook Press, 1987) and Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (Alfred A. Knopf, 1992).

Serves 4–6, depending on whether you’re using it as a salad or a condiment

The first time I made this recipe from Barry Ballister’s Fruit and Vegetable Stand, I misread the recipe, and I liked the result so much I’ve been making it that way ever since.

I learned how to roast beets from Marcella Hazan.

4 to 6 medium red beets
Sour cream (I use Fage)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Use kitchen shears to cut off the long stringy tops of the beets. Trim the root ends if they are “furry,” but leave the beets intact. Wash them.

Wrap the beets tightly in aluminum foil. I wrap them twice to be sure the juices don’t leak out because I don’t put them on a sheet pan.

Bake until the beets are easily pierced with a metal cake tester right through the foil. This usually takes about 1 hour. When the cake tester slips through easily, remove the beets from the oven.

Open the foil carefully so you don’t burn yourself.

Let the beets cool a little, then slip off the skins. It is easiest to do this under cold running water while they are still warm.

Slice, dice, or quarter the beets, depending on your preference. I usually leave them in largish pieces. Chill.

Serve the cold beets topped with dollops of sour cream. The chilled beets are also good as part of a salad made with arugula and goat cheese.