With summer on the way and a widespread heat wave in full swing, this dish will cool you off and bring that summer feeling. I love the combination of beets and peaches — the earthy sweetness of a beet and the acidic, melt-in-your-mouth goodness of a ripe peach hit all the right notes. I added a little stracciatella on the bottom for some creaminess, but burrata or mozzarella would also be great.
One of the best things about this recipe, in my opinion, and about beets in general, is how versatile and healthy beet greens are. If you aren’t using yours, you really should. They usually need a good rinse, but once cleaned, they make for a great addition to salads or a dish like this. Raw or slightly cooked, they have a nice earthy yet clean flavor and are loaded with nutrients — one of the most nutrient-dense “vegetables” actually, even more than the beets themselves.
Ingredients
3 small beets + greens
2 ripe peaches
1 lemon
Vincotto vinegar
Handful of fresh basil leaves
A few spoonfuls of stracciatella
Olive oil
Salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Separate the greens from the beets and give them a good rinse. Set the greens aside to dry briefly. On a small sheet tray, oil and salt the beets and cover the tray with aluminum foil. Roast until tender, about 40 minutes to an hour.
In the meantime, roughly chop your beet greens. In a medium saucepan, warm a few spoonfuls of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the greens and sauté with a pinch or two of salt until tender, about 5–7 minutes. Set aside once cooked.
Once the beets are done, peel them in a bowl of salted water. After peeling, cut them into quarters, then halve each one — you’re aiming for pieces about the size of your thumb (ideally, you want the beets and peaches to be roughly the same size). Add the beets to a bowl with a heavy drizzle of olive oil, a few pinches of salt, a big spoonful of vincotto, and the juice of half a lemon. Give that a mix and let it marinate while you prep the peaches.
Slice off the cheeks of your peaches until you're left with the pit. Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces, about the size of your thumb. Add them to a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the juice of the other half of the lemon. Right before serving, add in your torn basil.
This can be served at room temperature or chilled. If you prefer it cold, throw your marinated beets and peaches into the fridge for a bit.
To plate: smear a layer of stracciatella on the bottom of a plate, followed by a bed of sautéed beet greens. Then distribute the peaches and beets evenly. If you like things a bit sweeter, finish with a light drizzle of honey and a pinch of Maldon.