Hosting with Ease
Yesterday I prepared a beet and orange salad, along with a few other great dishes, when we hosted a guest from France.
I love entertaining — but even more than that, I love actually sitting down with my guests, not being stuck in the kitchen frying or prepping during the meal.
That’s why anyone who knows me knows I always look for dishes that can be made in advance, then just assembled, seasoned, or reheated right before serving.
That’s my guiding principle when planning a menu — along with using seasonal produce, especially what’s fresh from the garden.
The Perfect Winter Pairing: Beets and Oranges
One of the stars of the evening was this beet and orange salad — a simple, beautiful mix of the sweetness of roasted beets with the bright acidity of garden-fresh oranges just coming into season.
If you’re not already following me on Instagram — now’s a good time to do that!
Why Winter Beets Are the Best
In winter, many root vegetables store sugars to protect themselves from freezing, making carrots, beets, and other roots sweeter and more flavorful.
When choosing beets, look for medium-sized ones for even roasting, and pick beets that are roughly the same size.
(And if you find really good ones — check out my roasted beets with yogurt sauce recipe for another great idea.)
How to Roast Beets
Wash the beets thoroughly — especially around the stems, where sand loves to hide.
Place them on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven at 200–210°C (390–410°F) for about 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on their size, until a knife slides in easily.
Once done, cool the beets and peel them: just trim the ends and slip off the skin — it’ll come off like magic.
Cut each beet in half, then slice into 5–6 wedges and store in a bowl. You can do this up to two days ahead of serving.
Prepping the Oranges
To supreme (segment) the oranges, cut off the peel and pith, then slice between the membranes to release clean segments.
Mix the orange segments with the beet wedges.
The Secret Upgrade: Citrus-Infused Honey
If you want to take this salad to another level, try making fermented citrus blossom honey in spring:
Fill a jar with fresh citrus blossoms, cover with honey, and let it infuse. The result is a fragrant, golden honey that’ll lift any salad or dessert.
The Full Dinner Menu
Here’s what else I served alongside the beet and orange salad:
- Green salad with beans, grapes, radishes, purple onion, lettuce, seared zucchini, lime, olive oil & champagne vinegar
- Roasted fennel on homemade labneh with fermented mustard seeds, pomegranate molasses & shiso leaves
- Oven-baked sea bass with preserved lemons & Kalamata olives
- Roasted potatoes with garlic confit & arugula pesto
- Homemade vanilla, hazelnut, and kaffir lime ice creams
- Fresh knafeh for dessert
Beet and Orange Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- If using raw beets, wash and roast them for about 1.5 hours at 200°C (390°F) until tender.
- Cool, halve, and cut each half into 4–6 wedges.
- Supreme the oranges and mix them with the beets.
- Just before serving, finely chop the tarragon and toss everything with honey, vinegar, fennel seeds, and salt.
Nutrition
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