For the Love of Beets!

Beets. I’ve hated them since I was a kid. My mother would sometimes serve us beets out of the can with our dinner and I hated them. We weren’t allowed to leave the table until we finished our supper and I was so stubborn I’d sit there all night refusing to eat those nasty, slimy red discs.  And then, as an adult, I tasted roasted beets and my worldview on beets forever changed! I joined a CSA last year and we had beets galore. My favorite way to cook them is on the grill but roasting them is also delicious. Roasting them with oranges is something I haven’t done before. The smell of these 2 roasting was heavenly.

I pulled this recipe from the October 2011 issue of Real Simple. It’s a keeper.

Pork Chops with Roasted Beets and Oranges

Hands-on Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 pound beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

4 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

2 oranges, cut into large chunks

6 cups baby arugula (5 ounces)

4 bone-in pork chops (1 inch thick; about 2 pounds total)  (I used 2 boneless pork chops)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the beets with 3 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast until beginning to soften, 13 to 15 minutes. Add the oranges to the baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until the beets and oranges are tender, 15 to 17 minutes more. Add the arugula and toss to combine.

raw beets before going into the ring of fire

beets + oranges = great combination!

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork with the oregano, thyme, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes per side. Serve with the beets and oranges.

My version next to the magazine photo

What I did differently:  I roasted the pork chops instead of pan-frying them. Just add them to the oven with the oranges.

What I will do differently in the future: peel the oranges