Beet Stacks

Serves one. Easily scaleable.

Ingredients
1 cooked beet (see below for instructions), sliced across the grain in 1/4-inch slices

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

good quality balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp toasted walnuts

1-2 thin slices red onion, quartered

6-8 large fresh basil leaves, sliced in thin ribbons or "chiffonade", as described on localfoods.com

1/2 orange, peeled, seeded, segmented, and roughly chopped

How to Cook Beets

I have tried both boiling and roasting beets and I prefer the boiling method. I don't find that roasting them adds any more flavor and it's a little more work. So here's what I do to cook my beets:

1. Rinse the dirt from the beets and trim the greens, leaving about 2 inches of the stem attached. Reserve the greens for another use, if you'd like, or discard/compost them. I have mixed them in kale recipes and used them like spinach.
2. Set the beets in a medium to large pot and add enough water to cover the tops about one inch.
3. Boil the water and beets for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Do not over boil the beets, they should still be firm, but cooked through. Test them by inserting a fork into the side. If it goes in easily, they are done. 
4. Set the pan in the sink and run cold water over the beets. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes.
5. Hold cooled beet in your hands and rub the skin and stem off. It should come off very easily.

Preparation

1. Set the ends of the beet aside for another use (or snack on them while you're cooking).
2. Place one beet slice on the plate. Top with a 1/4 slice of red onion, 2-3 pieces of orange, and a little basil.
3. Carefully place the next slice of beet on top and repeat the process until all of the beet slices are in place and the final layer is topped with onion, orange, and basil.
4. To serve, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.