The beet has a reputation not unlike politicians. You either love them or you hate them. They are a gorgeous vegetable with a very unique flavor that some would describe as earthy, while others would say they taste more like dirt. Well, regardless of which side of the beet your on, beets need to stop taking a beating from beet haters and start getting some well deserved credit.
Beets are extremely good for you. They are loaded with phytonutrients which give them their deep purple color. These nutrients are known to help fight cancer by slowing the growth of tumors. They are also known to have exceptional detoxifying benefits and are helpful at reducing inflammation, which these days it seems everyone is trying to accomplish. But wait, there’s more. Beets are also good for boosting mental health, helping with digestion and lowering blood pressure. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals including iron and potassium.
Back when I was a kid, you couldn’t get me to choke down a beet. Then, as I grew older and started actually TRYING new foods, I realized that beets weren’t so bad after all. They are great in salads with goat cheese and nuts, and there are very few vegetables that can match their beauty. Red beets, yellow beets, or my favorite chioggia beets, which are white, with red circles going through them, are all beautiful and each has a different flavor. Jena and I thought they would all taste good together in a recipe, so we decided to try a tart version of a beet and goat cheese salad.
This tart is loaded with flavor and beets galore, so if you don’t like beets, this is not the recipe to try to learn to accept them. It actually has 4 kinds of beets. Cooked roasted red beets, roasted yellow beets, roasted pink beets and raw slices of chioggia beets. We added these beets to a puff pastry shell topped with a goat cheese spread made with fresh dill. Peppery watercress, micro greens and toasted pumpkin seeds are sprinkled on top making this the most stunning tart we’ve ever seen. The bonus is that it tasted so good, we decided to put it in our cookbook Herbs For Flavor, Health and Natural Beauty. If you don’t like beets, don’t make the recipe, but don’t forget to buy our book. It makes the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Especially if mom likes beets! You can buy it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble online, or through Jim’s website Rude On Food. Enjoy and remember to cook with love and live to cook.
Jim & Jena
3 Beet Watercress Tart Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet Puff pastry thawed
- 1 lg. Egg white beaten
- 2 tsps. Sesame seeds
- 4 ounces Goat cheese softened
- 4 ounces Cream cheese softened
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp. Fresh dill chopped
- 1 whole Small chioggia beet thinly sliced (optional)
- 3 whole Small pink beets roasted, halved
- 4 whole Small red beets boiled until tender, peeled & sliced
- 2 whole Small yellow beets roasted, halved
- 1/2 cup Watercress washed
- 1/4 cup Microgreens (optional)
- 1 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds roasted (optional)
Instructions
Tart Shell
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unfold puff pastry onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Cut 1/2” wide strips from all 4 sides of puff pastry and set aside. Brush remaining sheet of dough with egg white. Place reserved strips of puff pastry along edges on top of pastry sheet, creating a border. Press to seal.
- Brush edges of pastry with egg white. Using a fork, poke center area of puff pastry all over to prevent pastry from rising too much. Sprinkle sesame seeds along edges.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Cheese Spread
- In a medium size bowl, combine goat cheese and cream cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Assembly
- Spread mixture over cooled puff pastry. Sprinkle dill over cheese mixture. Place beet slices, watercress and micro greens evenly over cheese. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if desired.
- Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTfjWxOh7Fu/?taken-by=littlerustedladle
Enjoyed making this tart used some carrots and red beets micro greens and pea shoots.
Thank you for sharing.
this is so amazing and stunning, Never seen this before.
this is so amazing and stunning, Never seen this before.
Looks so tasty and the photography is absolutely stunning!
This is absolutely stunning! Do you shoot with a macro lens for shots like these?
Thank you, Lori! Yes I do! 100mm Canon
This post is so timely, as we have a bag full of red beets in the refrigerator just waiting for a recipe to use them. I’ve had the cookbook for a while now and am kicking myself for not trying anything from it yet, so good timing all around.
Cheers,
Katie
Thanks Katie!! We are so thrilled you have the cookbook too! Hope you liked the recipe as much as I did!