Most vegetables can be prepared with little more than olive oil and salt, but few are as rewarding as beets, which can be stunningly delicious when done this way. One key is to bake them—which dries out their flesh a little bit and concentrates their flavor—rather than boil them. (Think of the difference between a baked and a boiled potato.) It takes some time, but it is easy and reduces staining. Other vegetables you can prepare this way: carrots or parsnips (peel before roasting), turnips or rutabagas; cooking time will vary.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 medium beets, a little over a pound

　　Extra virgin olive oil

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wash the beets well and put them in a roasting pan, still wet; cover the pan with foil. Bake until soft, about 45 minutes (use a thin-bladed knife to pierce through the foil and into the beets to test for doneness). Remove the beets, then allow them to cool a bit.

　　

Step 2

When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them (the peels will slip off easily), then slice or dice them, as you prefer. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, garnish with the parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.