It will be an affair to remember.
Gather JournalBeets, with their deep garnet hue and flesh that leaves an inky trail, are, as vegetables go, pretty sexy. Appearances are not deceiving: they contain boron, a mineral that boosts sex hormones. No wonder then that ancient Romans thought their juice affected their juices, and that there is a folklore that eating from the same beetroot will cause two people to fall in love. A sense of longing you will feel for our beet salad with horseradish-tinged dressing and fried capers.
serves 4
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place beets on aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tsp oil, then fold and seal to make a packet. Put on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 1 hour. Open packet and let beets cool slightly until cool enough to handle.
In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, horseradish, Dijon, and ½ cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. Peel beets and cut into halves or quarters. Toss with vinaigrette.
Heat remaining ¼ cup oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pat capers dry. When oil is hot, not smoking, add capers and fry until crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Fry sunflower seeds until golden. Drain alongside capers.
Serve beets with crème fraîche, extra dressing, capers, sunflower seeds, and chives.