Kathy Wallace's Apple-Beet Puree

This recipe comes from the first Maine apple camp. One day at lunch a festive bowl overflowing with soft, pink mounds of what looked like cherry-colored, mashed potatoes lit up the serving table. The card in front of it said Apple-Beet Puree. I scooped some onto my plate, gobbled it down, and went back for more. Before I let myself have a third helping, I tracked down the camp’s main kitchen wizard, Kate Wallace, who told me it was her mother’s recipe. Kate said her mother usually adds vinegar to the recipe to give it some bite, but tart apples provide that bite all on their own.

Ingredients:

  • ½ lb beets, washed

  • 1 Tbs olive oil

  • 1 cup onion, chopped

  • 1 Tbs butter (or substitute olive oil)

  • 4 cups tart apples, cored and chopped

  • Salt & pepper to taste

  • 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar (optional)


Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Trim the roots and the woody parts of the skin from the beets – no need to peel. Cut beets into ½” cubes, then toss with 1 TBS olive oil and ¼ tsp salt and spread on roasting pan.

  3. Roast in oven for 45-50 minutes until they are soft and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and cool.

  4. Place cooled beets in the bowl of a food processor with 1/8 cup of water, and blend until smooth. Add more water as necessary.

  5. Melt butter (or 1 TBS oil) in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, and cook until soft, stirring occasionally to prevent browning.

  6. When the onions are beginning to soften, add the apple slices and sauté until they lose their shape and begin to break down into sauce. Add water to keep them from sticking. If the apples are firm, you may want to cover the pan as they cook.

  7. When everything is soft and nearly saucy, add the onion-apple mixture to the food processor and puree until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cold.

If it doesn’t have the zing you are looking for, try adding some apple cider vinegar. You can vary the proportion of beets to apples to highlight different flavors. A little beet goes a long way.