Beet and Mache Salad

Mache is another name for corn salad. It is an ancient garden green and contrasts nicely with sharp-flavored greens in salads like endive or arugula. It tastes delightful cooked quickly like spinach. It combines nicely with fruits and vegetables. Mache is a cool season annual. The dark green spoon-shaped leaves are gathered into a rosette. It is a very attractive plant in the garden. In northern climate, plant in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked. In warm climates, plant in the fall for winter harvest. The soil should be fertile, moist, and well drained. This plant is also known as Lambs Lettuce or Rapunzel. Mache can be planted in containers which is where I plant mine. If you don't have a garden you can probably find this in your local supermarket. The organic produce section usually has corn salad available. It comes in a little plastic clamshell box that's just the right amount for this salad.

Here's a recipe for a salad to use my first ever crop of beets. I grew a mixture of beets with seeds from The Cook's Garden. They have great vegetable seed mixtures.

Beet and Mache Salad

Ingredients
2 pounds assorted medium beets
7 cups (6 oz.) mache
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar or to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
Directions
1. Trim beets, leaving 1 inch of stems attached. Cover beets with cold water by 2 inches in a 5- to 6-quart pot and boil, uncovered, until tender, 40 to 45 minutes (adding more water if necessary). Drain beets and let cool. Cut stems from beets with a small sharp knife, then peel and discard skin from beets. Cut beets into wedges.
2. Mound mache alongside beets on a platter and drizzle with vinegar and oil. Sprinkle both with tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

If you feel like turning on your oven you can also roast beets. They are extra good that way.

Roasted Beets

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds medium red beets, peeled and quartered
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375° F. Place the beets in a small roasting or baking dish in one layer. Drizzle with the oil. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until fork-tender, about 30 minutes.