Beets, cucumber, and fresh herbs are tossed with a honey vinaigrette, served on salad greens with hard-cooked eggs and sour cream. Canned beets may be substituted for fresh to save time.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 bunches beets (about 8 beets), trimmed (see Note)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 to 3 Kirby cucumbers, peeled or scored
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cups assorted salad greens
- 4 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Preparation:
Bring 2 quarts water to boiling in a large saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 Tablespoons lemon juice. Add beets. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Drain; reserve broth for beet soup if desired.Meanwhile, combine honey, wine vinegar, remaining 1-1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 3 Tablespoons lemon juice in a large bowl. Remove half of mixture and reserve for dressing the greens. Cut cucumbers into slices. Add to honey mixture in bowl and let stand to marinate.
When beets are cool enough to handle but still warm, remove skins. Slice in half lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place in a large bowl. Cover and set aside.
Remove cucumbers from marinade with a slotted spoon and place in a small saucepan. Add broth; gently cook until broth evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add parsley, dill, and thyme to beets in bowl and mix.
Whisk oil into reserved honey mixture along with any marinade left over from cucumbers. Add greens; toss to coat. Divide greens equally among 6 plates. Arrange beets, cucumbers, and hard-cooked eggs wedges on plates. Serve warm or at room temperature with sour cream.
Note: If fresh beets are unavailable, use canned whole beets. They will make your prep time faster, too.
Yield: 6 servings
Per serving: 226 calories, 7 g protein, 13 g fat, 24 g carbohydrates, 872 mg sodium, 150 mg cholesterol
Recipe Source: Family Circle All-Time Favorite Recipes by Family Circle Editors (Doubleday)
Reprinted with permission.
