For Winter, Beet Salad
Among the vegetables that seem to have no season is beets. They are good any time of year.
And among the many beautiful dishes on the Stagecoach Tavern’s farm table menu is a beet salad that’s a little different. No gorgonzola, for starters. Instead, bacon. Slivered and fried celeriac. And a dab of creme fraiche. Simple, beautiful and healthy.
It’s more a series of steps than a recipe , chef Sarah Dibben told me, starting with roasting whole beets. Just place them in a two-inch deep pan; rub them with a little olive oil; salt-and-pepper them; pour in a little water, cover with a lid or foil and roast them at 300 degrees until they are tender. When I tried it, the beets took almost three hours.
Then, pour on a vinaigrette made from one part balsamic vinegar and three parts olive oil, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle on shredded celeriac that has been deep fried. I couldn’t find celeriac, so I fried up shallots instead — anything crispy and flavorful will do it, and top each serving with a little crumbled bacon.
As a final touch, Dibbens dabs a teaspoon of creme fraiche on top.
Dibbens has a very interesting farm table menu that depends almost entirely on meat and produce raised and grown within 15 miles of the Stagecoach Tavern which is on Route 41 in Sheffield,MA.
For reservations, call 413-229-8585. — Marsden Epworth
Amazing photograph, and a fantastic recipe for a vegetable that is, in my opinion, highly under-rated.
Would love to hear from other diners who’ve tried the Stagecoach. One of these days, maybe I’ll make it up there myself…
Comment by cynthia hochswender — January 19, 2007 @ 12:08 pm
Since I am a beet lover, this is really inspiring me to make the trip to the Stagecoach again after a long hiatus. Out of curiosity, and of course being on a budget, what are the prices like?
Comment by Janet Manko — January 22, 2007 @ 3:15 pm