First Beet

Am I the only person who actually remembers my first beet? It's shameful to admit that it wasn't that long ago that I had it. Maybe 5 years ago, we had dinner with friends for Christmas, and they served "Three Kings Salad," which was basically beets, oranges, and onions, with some vinaigrette. I was sure I would hate it.

I've been conditioned by my mother to eat whatever is served to me when dining with guests, though, so I tucked in. To my great relief, it was delicious, and that salad started a long-time love affair with beets. Here's a recipe reminiscent of that first salad so all of you can try.

• 1 pound beets, preferably very small ones
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 20 large pearl onions, about 1/2 pound
• 2 oranges, peeled and cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves (also known as cilantro) plus extra for garnish
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and peeled
• 1-ounce pecorino, optional, grated on medium-sized holes of boxgrater

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the stems and tails off the beets. Do not peel. Line the bottom of a baking pan with foil. Place the beets in the pan and toss them with half of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.

Trim both ends off the pearl onions. Then toss them with remaining olive oil and salt and pepper. Add pearl onions to the beets and roast an additional 15 minutes, until beets and onions are tender.

Peel and remove the membranes from the oranges with a sharp paring knife. Cut the oranges in half lengthwise and then crosswise into thin slices. Seed the slices, if necessary.

Peel and quarter the beets. Lay the beets on a large platter. Top the beets with the orange pieces. Scatter the roasted onions around the beats.

In a medium bowl, combine the hazelnut oil, coriander, and orange juice. Whisk until well combined and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing on top and sprinkle with coriander, toasted hazelnuts and grated cheese. Serve immediately.