Roasted Balsamic Beet Sandwich on Russian Rye

IT ALL STARTED WHEN PRITCHARD PARKER CAME HOME with a fresh loaf of Russian Rye Bread. I already had dinner well underway but we both enjoyed a slice of the bread with our meal. The bread was made with coffee and had minced onion throughout, it was still warm from the oven and it was excellent.

I thought about Borscht.

The next morning I remembered the large beets I had seen at the curb market the day before. Some of them had the circumference of a bread slice. I knew then I would make some kind of beet sandwich.

As I was sipping my morning tea, I was thinking about how to make a beet sandwich.  Once I concluded, in my wavering mind that I would simply use a thick slice, a slab, of beet I started pondering cheese. First I thought of Feta. Then I jumped to Gorgonzola. But neither of those seemed to be inspiring me and I realized it was because I wanted goo. I used Mozzarella.

Parboiling the beets for a few minutes makes them much easier to slice and peel.

Roasted Balsamic Beet Sandwich on Russian Rye Bread
Beets
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Balsamic vinegar
Mozzarella cheese
Shaved sweet onions
Chopped or sliced arugula or other greens
Good sturdy bread of choice

Parboil beets, depending on size, for 10 - 20 minutes, until they are not so hard. Drain and cool. Peel beets and slice into slabs. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Oven roast at 400 degrees until tender and beginning to caramelize around the edges, another 10 - 20 minutes, depending on size. Once they are tender, sprinkle with Balsamic vinegar to taste.

Slice cheese and place onto bread slices. Put under the broiler until the cheese is melting and beginning to brown. Add a slice of beet and top each sandwich with shaved onions and shredded sandwich greens.

Put top onto sandwich and press down. Slice in half and serve.