Everyone has one — or maybe two or three. A go-to recipe used when an occasion calls for you to “bring a dish.” Today’s recipe is one that Mom and my Zia often used to fulfill their potluck obligation. To be honest, I’ve no idea who first “discovered” this recipe. I remember Mom serving it for dinner during my childhood and Zia brings it to dinners to this very day. A colorful dish, this is much lighter than potato salad and is sure to be a hit among beet lovers. Even so, not all beet lovers are fans of mayonnaise. Should that be true for you, I hope you’ll find this classic video more to your liking.
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When you look over the recipe, you’ll notice that the ingredients are listed without accompanying amounts. Much depends upon the number of servings required and the size of the serving dish. When all is said and done, you’ll need to create a layer of beets that is about one inch deep. Next, the amount of chopped onion depends upon how just how strong that onion is. Be sure to taste it before adding it to the salad. If it is too strong, rinse it briefly under cold running water and pat it dry using paper towels before proceeding. With that settled, you can add as much or as little mayonnaise as you prefer, and the same can be said for the chopped, hard-boiled eggs. Remember, the beets are the star of the dish; everything else is meant to compliment rather than overpower.
Oh! Before you toss those beet greens away, you may wish to checkout my blogging friend David’s recipe for creamed beet greens over on his blog, the Gastronomic Gardener.
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The Bartolini Girls’ Beet Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- Raw beets, washed with greens trimmed
- Diced onion
- Mayonnaise
- Eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
- To Prepare the Beets
- Pre-heat oven to 400˚ F (205˚ C)
- Place the beets in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, and place in the middle of the oven. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes, depending upon the size of the beets. The beets are fully roasted when a knife’s blade meets little resistance when the largest beet is pierced. Set aside to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to trim the beets’ tops and bottoms. Much of the skin of each bulb should slip off easily. Use a paring knife to remove the rest.
- Use a knife, food processor, or mandoline to dice, shred, or slice the beets. Set aside.
- To Assemble the Salad
- Place beets in a serving dish. You’ll want to create layer of about an inch deep. Season lightly with salt.
- Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of diced onion on top of the beets. Use more or less depending upon the onion’s strength.
- Add enough mayonnaise to completely cover the ingredients.
- Use the chopped, hard-boiled eggs to top off the salad.
- Season with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.
- Chill fully before serving.
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Variations
Although I’ve not tried to prepare them this way, I imagine one could steam the beets instead of roasting them. And if you’re in a crunch for time, you can always substitute canned beets, although I prefer the additional flavor that roasted beets bring to the dish.
Notes
To beginner cooks: mayonnaise and hot temperatures do not mix. Serious illness can result if mayonnaise is not kept properly chilled. When serving this salad or any mayonnaise-based dish on a warm day, be sure to keep it covered and iced until the last minute before serving and then nestle the serving dish in another slightly larger one filled with ice. It must be kept chilled and when in doubt, throw it out.
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One Long Overdue Acknowledgement
Way back in May, I was fortunate to win a give-away over at Zesty Bean Dog’s wonderful blog. My original plan was to feature my prize, an OXO salad dressing shaker, with my next post featuring a salad. Well, in retrospect and given how few salad recipes I post, I should have come up with a better plan. And even though a salad shaker isn’t used in the preparation of today’s recipe, I thought it was about the closest I’d come to posting a salad recipe for at least a few weeks. ZBD, I hope you do not feel that I don’t appreciate or do not use your gift. It has remained “in service” pretty much from Day One and is one of those few kitchen items that goes from fridge to dishwasher and back again, without ever seeing the inside of a cupboard. So, thanks again, ZBD, for a great kitchen accessory.
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By any other name …
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I love roasted beetroot and this sounds an excellent way to enjoy it in a salad – as soon as the summer arrives. Still waiting:)
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This is such a simple recipe, Roger, and yet, no collection of my family’s recipes would be complete without it. For as long as I can remember, this salad was a Summertime staple.
And you can have some of our Summer, please. Today was another 100˚ day and yesterday Illinois was officially designated as drought stricken. This Summer is headed for the record books and for all the wrong reasons.
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Ah beetroot, perfect timing John. I have plenty at the allotment and I’m off to check the greens recipe. mind you I’m the only one in our house who loves them !
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Oh, how I can identify with you, Claire. My siblings didn’t care for them either. As a result, Mom, Dad, & I feasted. Ha! They didn’t know what they were missing!
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Put me down for some…. 😉
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My dear, Tanya,
You’ve a standing reservation.
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Shouldn´t you be asleep – isn´t it something like 5am for you?!
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It’s “only” 3:00 AM but, yes, I should be asleep. Now that the kids are tucked in, I’ll be going to bed shortly. 🙂
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You’re on !! Mind you you can come and pick it yourselves 🙂
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I´m up for that 🙂
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First of all I love the video – I remember as a child the BBC showing it pretty much every 1 April as an April Fool´s Joke…classic! And I adore beetroot, it looks so pretty and what a great salad. Not a way I have served it before. I think roasting it really brings out the flavour. And by the way, I´m so glad you post regularly on Wednesdays as I am a bit all over the place getting ready for the Big Trip. I woke up this morning convinced it was Thursday and thinking I had forgotten an appointment “yesterday” until I saw your post and then realised than I was just having a bit of a “senior” moment!
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Thanks, Tanya. This video has been favorite of mine for ages. I remember seeing it on television as a boy and can remember Mom’s laughter as she watched it. This salad is so simple but I do enjoy it. It’s a great alternative to mayonnaise-based potato or pasta salads.
I’m glad my Wednesday posts helps to keep you on schedule. 🙂 When I was a boy, the only major, American, dried pasta producer, Prince, ran a series of television ads featuring a boy, Anthony, who lived in Boston. He would be shown racing home, answering his Mother’s call of “Anthony!” because it was Wednesday and, as we all knew at the time, “Wednesday is Prince spaghetti day.” I’ve not bought a Prince product in years but, if I eat spaghetti on Wednesday, I’ll smile all the while.
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What a delicious recipe John!! My mom uually makes beetroot with onions, and adds vinegar and spices to make a relish, but I never tried it with mayo (by the way I love mayo…jejejeje), and eggs! These ingredients do add richness to the dish!! Bravo!!!
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Thank you, Ambrosiana. My Zia will be happy to see how well-received this salad is. I bet your Mom’s beet relish is very tasty. I’m a big fan of vinegar. 🙂
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I love the look of this salad John. Mostly because I love beets! And they do go so well with eggs. I roasted beets tonight to add to a barely ‘risotto’ I was making. Beets seem to be everywhere at the moment. They must be making a comeback! xx
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Thanks, Charlie. This is such a simple salad to make that I often brought it to potlucks at my office when I was still working. It was always gone long before I needed to worry about the mayo not being chilled properly. Although I must admit, in those days I used canned beets and could put this salad together in minutes.
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I never would have thought of this in a million years…can you tell I didn’t grow up eating beets? I love them now, and usually do a refrigerator pickle this time of year – been experimenting to see if it can be done with a raw beet for more crunch.
One other beginner tip – Beware of Beet Juice! It stains everything it touches!
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That is another great thing about this salad. You never have to worry about someone else bringing it to a potluck. Are you going to post the refrigerator pickled beet recipe? I’d be very interested. Thanks, Marie, for both the comment and beginner tip. Preparing beets is like making grape jam. Wear black! 🙂
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Looks great, I like the play of crunch and creamy, earthy and sweet. Thanks for the shout-out!
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You’re welcome, David. Other than in a soup, I’d never thought to cook the greens until I saw the recipe on your blog.
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I adore beets, John and this does look like a great potluck dish.
I actually remember when Johnny Carson ran that clip on April Fool’s Day a billion years ago! Oh funny it was. Thanks for sourcing it, such a good memory.
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Thanks, Eva. This dish was made for a potluck and it’s unique. You won’t find another on the table, that’s for sure.
I’m glad you enjoyed the clip. I, too, saw it ages ago and it was a big hit at the old two-flat.
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Sorry but all I can think now is the old MJ song…….beet it! beet it! hehehe
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And now I’ve joined you. Thanks! 🙂
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I have not tried beets with mayonnaise before but I do trust you John and will give this a go for my next potluck I’m attending. I do love beets and I trust your foodie insight implicitly.
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Why, thank you,Geni. All you need is a couple beet lovers at a potluck and this salad vanishes. I that’s because it’s not nearly as filling as a potato or pasta salad. I hope you try and enjoy it as much as we do.
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I loved the video, how funny! I tried roasted beets for the first time a few months ago. I could eat beets every day. The salad looks delicious!
~ April
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Hi, April! That is a great video, isn’t it? I read some of the comments under it and people spoke of some family member actually believing the prank. Too funny!
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Beets are the most beautiful color and the plated salad looks intriguing with the egg and mayo. I love beets but have witnessed many shy away from them. Right at my own table! One winter dinner party I served a watercress, beets and bacon salad and I remember the chilly reception and it was delicious. In reflection I think they were from a jar, though. Uh-oh.
John, my mother used to say When in doubt, throw it out- and I can hear her as I forage through the back of my fridge. Good advice. Also, the perspective on your rose shot this week is quite dramatic. Nicely done.
This is my first viewing of the spaghetti farming clip and I laughed out loud. What a gem.
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What is is about beets that people either love or hate? There really is no gray area, that’s for sure. Had you served me that salad, I would have really enjoyed it, rest assured. As I mentioned in another reply, I’ve used jarred beets for this salad when I was working. I have a notoriously bad memory and always kept a couple jars of beets on the shelf. Many a morning a made this salad and brought it to work with me. Roasting beets before work just wasn’t possible.
Thank you, Ruth, for complimenting the photo. That rose is proof of the role sunlight plays in a bloom. This rose is supposed to be such a deep shade of red that it is near black. The petals are quite velvet-y, adding to the effect. In my garden, it only gets about 6 hours of direct light and that’s apparently not enough to make it much darker. Even so, it is a striking rose.
And yes, that video is a real hoot! Have a great day.
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Black Baccara.. I think this is my favorite rose thus far, the deep red shade and it’s lovely name! I’m guessing your weather is still not as hot as that heat-wave you had before? How are your lovely girls doing now?? I hope you have lots of blooming days ahead. This salad is my sort of dish, no messing about with cups and spoons.. just wonderful, fresh ingredients. As you know I love beats and this is such a beautiful layered presentation of them, I’ve never seen anything quite like this anywhere. I think it’s a Chgo John original for sure!! xo
ps.. I’ve roasted mine wrapped in a foil bundle.. on occasion, the skins don’t slip off easily and I always wonder what I’ve done, maybe I over-cooked them?? Just wondered if you knew..
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Hahaha.. I just enjoyed your Spaghetti Farming video.. hilarious, I wonder how long it took them to “plant” the spaghetti!?
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I’ve no idea but wouldn’t that make a great video, too? 🙂
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Hey, Barb! Not that I have favorites — wink, wink — but this one is a real beauty. If it got more light, it would be even darker. It is supposed to be such a deep shade of red that it appears black. Its petals look like velvet, giving it an even more dramatic effect. We had another mini-heat wave that broke overnight. It has really done a number on my roses and garden this year. I’m re-mulching the rose beds and have been feeding them Green Soil, an organic food made from seaweed. I’m just trying to get them into the best shape possible before winter sets in. Next year, hopefully, will be better. (Every gardener’s refrain.)
This is a great dish and thanks for being so complimentary. I’m sure my Zia will enjoy reading comments like these. I wish I knew why some skins slide off and other don’t. While making this dish, all came off but one and that one had to be peeled with a knife. It wasn’t the largest nor smallest beet, just ornery!
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So that’s it.. ornery it is! Maybe the beets up here in Canada are just tough because of our cold winters;) Your roses will do so well with all that TLC.. mine just languish with nothing but plant food and water. This year the leaves were devoured within a day by some sort of tiny bug.. little speckled holes adorn them. I’ve snipped off most.. so I have the most hilarious looking roses.. tons of blooms but no leaves:D Not that I play favorites either *wink, wink* but definitely am loving the blackest of the roses.. I will pray for cool breezes to head your way!
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Your tiny bugs reminded me of an aphid infestation I had 3 years ago on a rose, Bell’Roma. (It will be featured in the weeks ahead.) I hadn’t noticed them and was leaning in to get a better look. And there it was. About 3 inches from my face, a preying mantis doing its job, eating the aphids. I was totally unprepared and almost fell over backward trying to get my face outta there! To this day, I cannot look at that rose without looking around for the “monster”.
Your prayers were answered. It rained late last night and our temps dropped. YAY! Tomorrow it will be even cooler — and then temps rise again. Monday looks to be yet another scorcher, but that’s Monday. For now, I’m really enjoying this cooler weather you sent us. Thank you! 🙂
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Yay!! It worked!! (It always does.. I’m “Smidge” after all.. one wriggle of the nose and “poof” it rains!!) I think you’re right.. it’s aphids.. but we don’t have preying mantis here.. at least I’m praying we don’t??
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If it is aphids, you may be able to get lady bugs from your local garden center. You can buy a couple hundred and they will devour the aphids for you. Just sprinkle them on your plants and let them feast. You can, also, get a preying mantis egg case but that will give you hundreds of baby monsters and if they aren’t native to your area, I doubt that a garden center would have any for you. I don’t know where mine came from but he sure did clean up that rose bush for me. Well, at least it looked like it did when I looked at it from across the yard.
And I shall never doubt the Powers of Smidge again — and be very thankful that you only use said Powers for Good!
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So long as they are not pickled beets, I’m in. I agree, the color of the salad would be a lovely addition to any potluck, though this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like it. Love the Black Baccara!
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Thanks, Judy. Mom and her Sister struck gold with this recipe, I must admit. I hope you make and enjoy it, too. And yes, the Black Baccara is really special. 🙂
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Beets and beet greens are my favorites. Love mayo too, but not sure I would like the combination of mayo and beets. Should give it a try. The beets in my garden are ready for harvest.
Your black baccara is beautiful, amazing how your roses are doing so well in this heat.
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Thank you, Norma. I hope you do find this salad as enjoyable as we have. It’s a staple in the Summer.
We just had another high heat spell and my garden is shows it. The roses have taken a beating and, as I just wrote, I’m adding new mulch to the beds, weather permitting. My efforts now are more for next year; the damage has been done this year, unfortunately. Time will tell …
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Yum! I actually don’t know how to use beets in anthniyg except borscht, but roasting them sounds like an excellent idea. I picked up eggs from the farmers’ market this weekend (I was assured that these were, indeed, happy hens that spent most of their time outdoors pecking at things). Paid more than I’ve ever paid for eggs ($6 a dozen!), but I love supporting a small local farmer and am really pleased with the eggs, too.
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Thanks for commenting. Yes, eggs at the farmers markets I frequent run about the same as you paid. They are expensive they are much fresher and, as you say, you’re supporting a local farmer. For me, it is worth the cost.
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Love beets! Yum! Not a huge fan of mayonaise but I don’t mind it if it helps the dish and I like it in potato salad so this looks fun!! Beautiful dish!
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Welcome, Lilly Sue! That’s the good thing about this salad. you can add more or less Mayo to suit your own taste. I think you’ll find that the may and eggs add a creaminess to the salad just like a good potato salad. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment.
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Oh ya I bet it does make it creamy! yum!
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Great recipe John and nice to see that BBC clip again 😉
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Thanks, MD. I almost didn’t include the video, knowing that most had seen it before. It is a classic, though, and I chuckle no matter how many times I’ve viewed it.
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I love beets; usually pickled! This sounds good.
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Thanks for commenting. I hope you try this salad and find it as enjoyable as we have. It’s a light alternative to potato salad.
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I l o v e the spaghetti farming video! Classic, right down to the grainy film and the narrator’s accent! Thanks for sharing that with us! I am a huge fan of beets – and agree, roasted is tastiest of all – but I’ve never imagined beets in any form resembling this and yet this salad sounds SO good! And so right for summer. Congratulations too John on the Wonderful Blog Award – you definitely had it comin’!
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Yes, Spree, that video always cracks me up. It was done with such seriousness. It’s easy to see why so many in the 50’s fell for the prank. It was the BBC, after all, the most trusted news organization on the planet. 🙂
I’d no idea that this salad was going to be so well-received. I just wanted to make sure the recipe was recorded being this salad was a perennial favorite at our Summer dinner table. As I’ve mentioned earlier, my Zia will be happy to see the reception this little salad has received.
And thank you for the well-wishes, Spree, and congratulations to you for being nominated, too. I feel honored to be a part of any list that includes your name. I couldn’t be in better company.
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Another beautiful rose, John. Mine are needing some deadheading…they look colorful, but a bit sad! Yours look a lot more loved at the moment! I have seen that video somewhere in my life, but it has to have been a long time ago! I loved it. I also love beets, and this sounds so good. My niece and I had a conversation this weekend about needing a more creative way to use beets! I’ll definitely be sharing this recipe! Debra
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I’m glad you enjoyed today’s post, Debra, and hope you and your niece prepare and like the salad.
THis rose is a beauty but she’s suffering now, the picture being shot earlier in the year. That’s why the focus isn’t the best. I expected to take more during the summer. Right now, she’s looking bad but it’s only mid-July. I’ve time to turn them around, once our temperatures return to normal and stay there. Thanks, Debra, for always taking the time to visit and comment.
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This looks like a must try dish. I have never had beets prepared in this manner. The video was very informative,
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
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Thanks, Francine. That video was a BBC April Fool’s prank back in the 50’s. It resurfaces every now and again and always gets a laugh. I hope you enjoyed it. 🙂
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I did but didn’t get it at first. I am kinda slow picking up jokes. This one did have me going. ha ha
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🙂
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Too many of my food aversions in this salad, John (I like beets though). I’ll take the rose.
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Sorry this one struck out, Sharyn. I’ll try to do better next time for you. I do appreciate your leaving a message, though, for a recipe that you do not like. Thank you for that.
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Don’t let it worry you, John. There are numerous common foods I refuse to eat: mayo, hard-cooked eggs, avocado, etc.
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I really want to like this my friend but the mayo is just so hard to overcome for me, though anything of yours is worth trying at least once. Love the classic video…nice touch.
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We love beets, and make so many meals with it, including this one. But in the summer we don’t use eggs and mayo, instead we put walnuts and olive oil…:) Thanks for the video, I love that touch to your post…:)
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Thank you, Marina. You are the first person that I know of to make this salad, other than Mom and her Sister, my Zia. It’s a great little salad, isn’t it? Roasted beets with walnuts and olive oil sounds good, too. Do you think you’ll post the recipe? I know I’d enjoy it.
Yes, the video was a good one. It’s so well done, very authentic looking, and from what I understand, fooled more than a few people when it was first broadcast.
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I think we may have some Italian genes in my family as we make a lot of pasta, and other Italian dishes. Wander where it came from? 🙂 Yes, I will post the recipe some day, maybe in a week or so, after the next farmer’s market… Thanks for stopping by my blog, John. 🙂
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The way armies have marched across Europe over the centuries, who knows what each of us are? We may all be “mixed breeds.” 🙂 And thank you, Marina, for visiting mine.
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This is a really nice recipe! And I love recipes where ingredients are left to the cook’s discretion. That’s how I’m going to make it anyway, so it’s always nice that we’re all clear on that up front! I’ve never had mayo + beets, but it sounds interesting – beets and sour cream are such a great combo, and mayo isn’t that far removed from that (well, maybe it is, but not in my mind!). Really good stuff – thanks.
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And thank you for commenting! Funny thing that you mentioned sour cream. When I wrote the post, I considered offering sour cream as an alternative to mayo, for those who do not like mayo. I didn’t because I hadn’t tried it myself and I won’t recommend something unless I’ve sampled and liked it. I agree with you and bet they’d go well together. I need to give it a try to find out. 🙂
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I love the careful way this recipe is layered, to avoid a messy red splodge. It sounds delicious, John, and exactly the sort of things the nonnas in our neighbourhood would make. 🙂
We’re growing beets in the yard (and we grow our own eggs), so I’ll bookmark this one away for future reference.
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Aw! You just gotta love those Nonnas, Celi! I was fortunate growing up in a house where I could watch some fantastic cooks “do their thing” on a daily basis. The youngest in our family will never have that opportunity. Now, I cannot give that to them but I can make sure the recipes will be here for any who want to learn. That’s the plan, anyway …
If you do try this salad, I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do. Thanks for commenting, Celi.
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John, when we moved into our house over 20 years ago, our neighbour was an elderly Italian widow whom we called Mrs M. Everyone in her family – children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren – called her Nonna. She was sprightly and sharp as a tack, with that slightly pessimistic nature that seems so characteristic to that generation of Italian immigrants (at least those that are here in Australia – Mrs M came out as a 13 year old and never went to school – she went straight into the sugar cane fields as a cutter. Even as a 75 year old, she used to do the edges of her lawn with a cane knife/machette). I remember calling out over the fence every morning, “Mrs M! Come stai?” and she’d reply, “ogi bene, domani male” (I’m not sure of the spelling, sorry). It always made me laugh…
She finally passed away a couple of years ago at 93, and I still miss her to this day. I was given her salt pig and potato ricer, and they’re just the best mementos, as I use them daily and think of her often.
Thanks for reminding me of her! 🙂
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What wonderful memories you must have of “Nonna”, Celi! I can almost picture her edging her lawn with a machete. I’ve similar recollections of our Nonna & Grandpa and they’re sure to bring a smile to my face whenever I think of them. I have a copper polenta pot that Grandpa bought while in Italy and my Grandma’s bread knife and I cannot help but think of both when I use them. I wrote a tripa (tripe) recipe that told much about Nonna and me back in January. If you’re interested, you can read it here.
Thank you, Celi, for taking the time to share with us a little bit of your special neighbor. That was very kind of you and I loved reading about her.
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That video is wonderful! Love!! And the salad looks good too, I’ve never tried a beet salad. It’s been so long since I’ve had beets, so it must be time to have them again. This is a great way to bring them back too. Thank you John!
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I agree with you, Sarah, that video is priceless! What a great April Fool’s prank! I’m sure you’d enjoy beets, Sarah. They haven’t a strong or off-putting taste and this salad doesn’t either. “Try it; you’ll like it!” 🙂
Thanks for commenting, Sarah.
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The “girls” salad is new to me. I have had beet salads a lot of ways but not with mayo…sounds good. I usually prepare mine with onions and an olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano dressing.
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Thanks, Karen, for taking the time to comment. A few have mentioned other beet salads and I’ve been trying to recall if Mom ever prepared them in another way. I remember her preparing and serving this beet salad, to be sure, but I just don’t recall her fixing beets differently. Your salad, however, does sound like something she would have prepared and I would enjoy. Simple yet tasty. You just cannot beat that.
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What a wonderful salad; such glorious colours and totally different to the one I’ve made. It’s beetroot, (steamed for 40 minutes) fennel, orange, olive oil and verjuice.
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Thank you, Elaine. I bet the citrus, fennel, and verjuice would combine very well with beet(root). It sounds like a great salad and I bet striped beet(root) would look great with the other ingredients. Hmmm … I need to find some verjuice! 🙂
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It looks beautiful! I never really acquired the taste for beets, just the greens. I plan to grow them in my garden next year and hope that the homegrown taste will win over my grownup tastebuds. I’ll come back to this recipe next year and give it a go!
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I bet you’d like this salad. The beets are not at all strong tasting and this salad’s flavors match most salads at any barbecue or picnic. I hope you do try them next year and like them. Even so, if you read through the comments, you’ll find a few others have offered suggestions for beet salads. You may prefer one of those. Either way, good luck!
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I do not like beets. What can I put in place of them to make this recipe? Everything else (eggs & mayo) sound great.
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This salad probably isn’t for you. There are many others that you might like, though, that don’t have beets. I’ll be more than willing to point you in their direction, if need be. 🙂
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Must give beets another try… maybe… I just don’t think I can do it. 🙂 I wish.
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Courtney, if you don’t like something, you don’t. That’s just the way it is. I don’t like cilantro nor rhubarb. No matter how many times or different preparations I’ve tried, I’ve not found a way that is even the least bit palatable. Not to worry. I’ll try to do better for you next week. 🙂
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Though I’m not a huge fan of either beets or mayo, I do have to comment on how pretty the colors are in your salad, John! I got a huge chuckle out of the video, and after reading comments about it, I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve seen it! Another stunning girl in your collection…what a dark and lovely beauty Baccara is!
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Sorry, Betsy, that this salad wasn’t necessarily your cup of tea. I’ll try to do better next time. 🙂
I almost pulled that video, fearing that people had seen it so often that they wouldn’t even bother watching it. Judging by the comments, I couldn’t have been more wrong and I’m glad to read how much you enjoyed it.
Yes, this week’s rose is a stunner. It’s a shame that the picture doesn’t portray the texture of the petals. They are soft like crushed velvet. Add that to it’s deep red coloring, and you have a truly unique rose.
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Beets and mayo aren’t popular in our house, but I could care less. I’m so thrilled this showed up in my subscription feed. I lost you there for awhile, which was unacceptable.
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I know, Greg, and that’s why I included the video. You might not like what I was offering but at least you’d walk away having been entertained. 🙂
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I love beets. in NZ we call them beetroot. I love beetroot. Roasted and chilled is one of my favourites. This salad must go down a treat at any gathering when you need to bring a plate. The beets stain the mayo just nicely creating a water colour effect.. wonderful.. c
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I must say, Celi, my Zia will love that so many are interested in this salad and Mom would have, too. Mom always enjoyed “springing it” on unsuspecting potluckers. The response, among beet lovers, was always favorable, no one having seen anything like it before.
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Is there a variation that doesn’t use beets? Just kidding. Beets just don’t get any love in our house. And I have tried and will keep trying, but I think it’s likely a lost cause. Miss A did eat them as a baby though. So maybe someday she’ll like them again. I do need a go-to potluck recipe though. 🙂
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Hello, Kristy! It’s tough being the only beet-lover in the house. My parents loved them, as did I, but my siblings acted as if beets were radioactive. In that I loved them, it worked out very well for me and, today, I’m not about to wait for a potluck. I make this salad for myself often.
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John it is easy to see why this is THE go to recipe – I LOVE the combination of beets and eggs – SCRUMITY!
Have a beautiful weekend.
🙂 Mandy
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Thank you, Mandy. This is such a simple recipe and I can remember Mom serving it when I was boy. It’s been around for ages and I still enjoy it. I hope yours is a good weekend, too, Mandy!
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My mom would loooove this salad, she’s a huge fan of beets. They’re still growing on me. 😉 But I’ve gotta say, served like this, who wouldn’t be a fan!? 🙂
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Hello, Caroline. If you’re willing to try it, this is a great way to “get to know” beets. It’s closer to a potato salad than it is to most beet salads. It’s got the same creaminess.
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Love the video – Hope your parents didn’t force you to toil in the spaghetti fields As a child! Glad to see you roasted the beefs for your salad; roasting seems to really bring our the flavour. Have to admit I’m a little leery of that much mayonnaise but I just know that recipe has to taste good! So when I make this salad I’ll just have to skip having a cupcake afterward! 😉
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No, Mar, my family was poor and not allowed to work in the spaghetti fields. We were given the back-breaking jobs of planting ravioli and tortellini bushes. 🙂
If you prefer, you can always replace the layer of mayo with small dollops of it atop the beets. The chopped hard-boiled eggs will camouflage them anyway. And you’ll be able to have this salad and your cupcake, too. We aim to please at the Bartolini kitchens!
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I just love anything with beets!
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I’ve not had them in a great number of ways but I can say I have liked what I’ve had, especially when roasted.
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I also a am a dash of this and a dash of that so I can completely understand the specifications for amount. To taste- right? (I guess that is why that whole baking thing is not my area as you actually have to get out measuring devices and such) I love your mandolin shaped beets threads it really makes the dish look fancy. Have a lovely potluck weekend. Take care, BAM
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Thanks, BAM. Those beets were pure serendipity. I’ve a new food processor and wanted to try one of the blades. Voila! Pretty beets. With this salad, the only thing needed care is the onion. I didn’t taste it once and the salad was almost inedible. The onion was far too strong and I used too much. But, if the onion is fine, the rest of the salad is very easy to assemble. I hope you’re having a great weekend!
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I love beets. This salad sounds like it has interesting ingredients. Sounds great for a summer meal.
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Your comment sums up the dish perfectly. It’s a great beet dish with a different set of ingredients. mom served it frequently throughout the Summer. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
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I’ve always juice beetroot together with apple and carrot to make a delicious fruit juice… didn’t know I could roast beetroot too, sounds like a very interesting idea!
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And I never thought to juice beet(root) for a drink. It’s used to dye pasta. See? We learn something new every day!
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There is so much I love about this recipe. I love the ease, only 5 ingredients!! I love the contrast of color between the beets and the eggs. And finally I live that this recipe comes frOm your mom and your aunt!! Love true family recipes!
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Thank you! I’ve a good number of family recipes posted here, with more to come, and none have many spices or exotic herbs. That just wasn’t how food was prepared by the women in my family. I must admit, though, they sure did get a lot of bang for their buck!
🙂
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Love this recipe! Yummy!
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Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment.
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I bought some beets at the farmers market last weekend and had no clue what to do with them. This recipe might be it…it looks great! 🙂
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I hope you try this, Christina. You’ll find it to be a good summertime salad. The good thing about it is that you can vary the amount of mayo used. 🙂
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Beautiful video and I really like the Gastronomic Gardener’s blog! Love beet root and I thought I was the only one that did. Love the salad! And the rose is gorgeous!
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Thanks, again, Judy, for your kind words…
David has a wonderful blog and I’ve learned quite a bit from his blog.
That rose is a real stunner in person and I’ve had a hard time capturing it. It is a very deep red, to the point of nearing black, and the petals are quite velvet-y. Unfortunately, my cameras are not nearly sophisticated enough to capture it’s finer aspects. I’ll keep trying, though, in varying light. I may get lucky one day and, when I do, I’ll post the pic. 🙂
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Pingback: The Kitchens are in a Pickle | from the Bartolini kitchens
I realize I have missed quite a few of your wonderful posts John and I intend to catch up on my reading this coming weekend.
As a kids I HATED beets, I wouldn’t go near them but fortunately as I grew older things changed. Now I love beets, especially in salads.
I look forward to trying this salad John, will let you know how it turns out. Do you think there is room for some herbs here? perhaps some basil?
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Hello, Sawsan. Yours is such a busy life, it’s a wonder you have time to blog at all. Like you, I didn’t care for beets either. Now, I’ve got 2 bunches in the crisper and jars of them pickled on a shelf. I think basil would work very well. If you’re in doubt about it or some other herb, just try a small amount on a corner of the salad. You can have a taste without affecting the rest. Good luck!
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