Chilled Beets and Asparagus with Garlic Chive Blossoms
- 2 bunches baby beets, peeled and quartered
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup orange blossom water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 bunch garlic chives with blossoms, roughly chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- About 8 cups cleaned mixed greens, for serving
- First, a note on beets: they'll stain anything!
- Make sure you wear gloves as you're peeling the beets unless you want your hands to be an attractive magenta color!
- Place the quartered beets in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.
- Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil.
- Immediately lower the heat to medium and let the beets cook for about 20 minutes or just until fork tender.
- Drain the beets and run them under cold water.
- Drain and set aside.
- As you're doing this, get another pot of water boiling and drop the prepped asparagus into it for just 2 minutes.
- Drain the asparagus and run it under cold water immediately.
- This is called blanching.
- Drain and add to the beets.
- In yet another saucepan, add the water, orange blossom water, sugar and lemon juice.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the glaze has reduced by half and has thickened slightly.
- Toss with the vegetables, and add the roughly chopped garlic chives.
- Top with the chive blossoms and crumbled goat cheese and serve as a first course on a bed of mixed greens.
baby beets, water, orange blossom water, sugar, lemon juice, garlic, goat cheese, mixed greens
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chilled-beets-and-asparagus-with-garlic-chive-blossoms-recipe.html (may not work)