• 1 filet of beef
• 1 long slice of uncooked nitrate-free bacon
• 1 cooked beet (see below for instructions), sliced across the grain in 1/4-inch slices
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp toasted walnuts
• 1-2 thin slices red onion, quartered
• 6-8 large fresh basil leaves, sliced in thin ribbons or “chiffonade,”
• 1/2 orange, peeled, seeded, segmented, and roughly chopped
• mixed greens

Preparation

Rinse the dirt from the beets and trim the greens, leaving about 2 inches of the stem attached. Reserve the greens for another use, if you’d like, or discard/compost them. I have mixed them in kale recipes and used them like spinach.

Set the beets in a medium-to-large pot and add enough water to cover the tops about one inch.

Boil the water and beets for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Do not over-boil the beets; they should still be firm, but cooked through. Test them by inserting a fork into the side. If it goes in easily, they are done.

Set the pan in the sink and run cold water over the beets. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes.

Hold each cooled beet in your hands and rub the skin and stem off. It should come off very easily.