And the Beet Goes On…
With apologies to Sonny and Cher.
Last spring, my friends at Tucson Village Farm gave me a jar of the beet jam they were making to sell at the market. Immediately, I wanted to combine it with fresh goat cheese, and I always heed these urges.
I came right home and created this Beet Jam and Chèvre Torta. The combination of the tangy cheese with the rich, sweet, earthiness of the beets is a fantastic combination. The jam recipe I used below is loosely based on one from Food 52.
(I’m doing a Tomato Cooking Class to benefit the Tucson Village Farm on June 28 — click the link to find out more!)
~ David
Beet Jam and Chèvre Torta
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked beets
- 3/4 cup sugar
- finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 4 ounces goat cheese, very soft
- crackers or toasted bread, for serving
Instructions
- Peel the beets, then coarsely grate them into a 4-quart pot. Over medium heat, add the sugar, orange zest, thyme, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the beets start to release their juices.
- Add the orange juice and 1 cup of water and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to medium or medium-low. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beets are soft and very tender.
- Pour in the wine and simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes, until a majority of the liquid has evaporated and you are left with a thickened paste.
- Purée the mixture until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot and continue cooking for 5 to 10 more minutes over medium heat, until the jam reaches your desired consistency.
- Makes 1 generous cup, enough for two tortas.
- Note: The jam will last several weeks in the refrigerator. It freezes well, too.
- Oil a 4-inch ring mold and line with a strip of parchment. Place in the center of your serving plate, then spread half the goat cheese on the bottom (if your goat cheese isn’t quite spreadable, microwave it for 5-10 seconds), cover with a layer of beet jam smearing gently with the back of a spoon, and repeat layers ending the beets. Chill for 1 hour.
- Slip off the ring mold, then carefully peel off the strip of parchment leaving your layered torta exposed. Serve with crackers or toasted bread on the side.
- Serves 4 as an appetizer.
© 2025 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Mad Dog
May 24, 2025 at 5:41 amThat looks amazing – I’ve neve had beet jam before …but I do have a load of beetroot seeds!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2025 at 2:06 pmI think you’d like it, Mad Dog — so start growing those beets!
Fran @ G'day Souffle'
May 24, 2025 at 6:37 amI’m not usually a fan of beets but I could definitely picture myself slathering this on some crackers or pita bread! The sweet and the tangy flavors really go together and the addition of the thyme sounds interesting!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2025 at 2:06 pmThanks Fran — it really is a great combination, and, as I said, even beet-haters like it.
Barb
May 24, 2025 at 7:09 amI never cook beets because I never thought the taste was worth the mess made when preparing them. I have to admit though this sounds like a great combination of flavors, and it’s very pretty!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2025 at 2:08 pmBarb — This is one of those times that you can use pre-cooked beets available at stores like Trader Joe’s or Kroger’s. It makes it so much easier to pull something like this off! That way you don’t have to go to all the work of cooking them. However, my favorite way to roast them is with a couple slice slices of orange peel and thyme with a little olive oil in foil. Put them in the oven and forget about them for about an hour.
Mimi Rippee
May 24, 2025 at 8:28 amOoooh yes! I love the orange and thyme in there. Such a beautiful presentation.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2025 at 2:08 pmThe flavor combinations are fantastic, Mimi. And it does make for a really pretty presentation.