Beet Salad with Feta

Blake got an Ipad for the second time and I added a bunch of recipes on epicurious to his favorites with their app. Now he emails me what he wants me to make. I followed this one exactly but the rhubarb was nasty so we picked it out. It was a pretty weird idea. Otherwise the salad was good. I think I bought 7 beets and it was way too much. I used the extra beets up in a pasta the next night, which was tasty, but turned pink from the beets. I don't think I took a picture of it, because it did not look appetizing, but the recipe also came from epicurious.

# 8 2- to 2 1/2-inch-diameter red or yellow beets, 4 of each color if available
# 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
# Coarse kosher salt
# 3 cups water
# 1/2 cup sugar
# 1 pound trimmed rhubarb stalks, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
# 3 large oranges
# 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
# 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
# 1 tablespoon minced shallot
# 1 teaspoon honey
# 3 cups watercress sprigs
# 1 1/4 cups coarsely crumbled feta cheese (about one 7-ounce package)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets on large sheet of foil. Wrap beets in foil. Roast beets until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour. Unwrap and cool beets. Peel, then cut each into 8 wedges.

Bring 3 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar, and pinch of coarse salt to simmer in large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb. Simmer over medium heat until just tender but still intact, 1 to 2 minutes (do not overcook or rhubarb will be mushy). Using slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to platter and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Beets and rhubarb can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

Finely grate enough peel from 1 orange to measure 1/2 teaspoon; transfer to small bowl and reserve for dressing. Cut off peel and white pith from all oranges. Working over medium bowl to catch juice and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release orange segments into bowl; squeeze membranes to release juice into bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons orange juice to bowl with orange peel. Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, honey, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil into bowl with orange peel and orange juice mixture. Season dressing with coarse salt and pepper.

Arrange watercress, beets, rhubarb, and orange segments on 6 plates. Sprinkle with feta and drizzle with dressing.

Pasta for leftover beets

# 1/3 cup pine nuts
# 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
# 2 large onions, quartered lengthwise through root end, sliced crosswise (about 4 cups)
# 3 garlic cloves, minced
# 2 bunches 2-inch-diameter golden beets with fresh healthy greens; beets peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, greens cut into 1-inch-wide strips
# 12 ounces farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
# 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and stir until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil and onions to same skillet and sauté until beginning to soften and turn golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to sauté until onions are tender and browned, about 30 minutes longer. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes. Scatter beet greens over onions. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over; cover and cook until beet greens are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beets in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beets to medium bowl. Return water to boil. Add pasta to beet cooking liquid and cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Stir onion-greens mixture and beets into pasta. Add pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten. Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Divide pasta among shallow bowls. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve, passing additional cheese.