Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- ½ red onion, finely sliced into half-moons
- 45 ml red wine vinegar
- 450 g beets, cooked and peeled
- 100 g danish blue cheese, crumbled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 145 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 377 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 19 mg
- Potassium
- 456 mg
- Calcium
- 154 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 34 mg
- Phosphorus
- 147 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 134 mcg
- Water
- 133 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the sliced red onion and red wine vinegar in a small bowl.
Allow the onion to steep in the vinegar for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
Cut the cooked and peeled beets into uniform sticks approximately the size of thick fries.
Arrange the beet sticks evenly across a shallow serving dish.
Pour the onion and vinegar mixture over the beets and toss gently to coat.
Distribute the crumbled Danish blue cheese over the salad and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For the best flavor, use pre-cooked beets that are vacuum-sealed rather than canned. This preserves their earthy sweetness and texture.
- Don't skip the marinating time for the onions; it mellows their harshness and infuses them with a pleasant tang.
- Ensure the beets are completely cooled before assembling the salad to prevent the blue cheese from melting too much.
- If you can't find Danish Blue, a good quality Gorgonzola or Roquefort can be substituted, though they will offer a slightly different flavor profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container; the cheese may absorb the beet color over time.
Troubleshooting
The salad is excessively red and the cheese is stained
Cause: Over-mixing the ingredients after adding the cheese
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Add the cheese last and do not stir after it is applied
Onions are too sharp or pungent
Cause: Onions did not steep in vinegar long enough
Fix: Add a pinch of sugar to the vinegar to balance the acidity
Prevention: Ensure a minimum 30-minute maceration time to break down sulfur compounds
Cultural Context
This salad is a simplified take on traditional Danish smørrebrød toppings, where pickled or marinated vegetables are common accompaniments to open-faced sandwiches. The combination of earthy beets and sharp blue cheese is a classic pairing that highlights the Nordic appreciation for robust, contrasting flavors.
