Orange Balsamic Glazed Beets

Beets are one of those foods that I avoided my whole life except in the form of horseradish on my gefilte fish. Deep down I think I've always known they were good but I may have been traumatized from pre-Pesach borscht as a kid. A few weeks ago in a spur of the moment decision that has changed my life ( a little over drama can't hurt anyone) I bought some beets. Unsure of what to do with them, I decided to simply peel them, wedge them, sprinkle on some salt and a little olive oil and throw them in the oven. I actually totally forgot they were in the oven for about 2 hours and when I remembered them I thought all would be lost and my beets would be toast. Turns out, forgetting them was the best thing I could do to them. They were DELICIOUS- so tender but still with a little bite to them and UBER sweet. We gobbled them up before they could make it to the dinner table. For my next forage into beet-hood I decided to get a little more daring. Balsamic vinegar and Orange made into a glaze and poured over roasted beets was the idea and it turned out fabulously. Just enough tang from the vinegar which also enhanced the beets sweetness. YUM! Just remember to wear gloves when you are dealing with the beets so you don't stain your hands. Enjoy!

6 beets, rinsed and unpeeled

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tsp sugar

zest of one orange

Juice from one orange

Preheat your oven to 400 and place the beets on a tray. Cover with foil and bake for about an hour to an hour and a half until a fork can pierce it easily. Let the beets cool. Once the beets are cool you can easily peel off the skins with your hands. Cut the beets into wedges and set aside. In a sauce pan bring the vinegar, sugar, orange juice and zest to a boil. Cook until the mixture becomes slightly thick and syrupy. Toss the beets with the vinegar mixture and serve.