Serves 6
2 medium-sized beets
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl apple cider vinegar
2 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl whole grain mustard
1/3 cup vegetable oil
6 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about 1/2 a large head)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, soaked in cool water for 15 minutes then drained *
3 large carrots, peeled, coarsely grated (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut off and discard the stem and tails of the beets. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a sheet pan. Roast until a toothpick can easily be poked into the center of the beets, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel them. (The skins should easily slide off – you shouldn’t even need a vegetable peeler, just use your hands.) Using the large holes of a vegetable grater, coarsely grate the beets.
Combine the apple cider vinegar, sugar and mustard in a large mixing bowl. Season with a good pinch of salt and a few good grinds of pepper. Slowly add the vegetable oil, pouring in a thin stream and whisking as you pour. Add the sliced cabbage, chopped onion, grated carrots, dill and grated beets to the dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Let stand for about 45 minutes, tossing occasionally. Taste, and season as needed with more salt or pepper. Serve at room temperature.
* This tempers some of the onion’s pungency.
