Roasting and Toasting with Beets, Rhubarb, & Rose

Inside the Ingredients

By Nora Rae Pearl | June 7, 2025

Just like the arrival of the cherry blossoms, we know summer is here once color hits our kitchens again. This time, instead of going green, we are going red (hold the cherries). Beets, rhubarb, and rose are the not-so-subtle signs of summer we all have been waiting for.

Rhubarb makes its grand entrance (blink and you’ll miss it), beets take the center stage (before taking a brief pause and returning in the fall), and rose is there to remind us to stop and smell the flowers (even if they are lilacs). For these recipes, we sourced rhubarb from Gray’s Farm, beets from Providence Organic Farm in Central Lake, and goat cheese from Northport’s own Idyll Pastures.

Beet Citrus Salad

Just as bright in flavor as it is in color, this salad is one you won’t want to miss.

Salad Ingredients
2 pounds local beets, preferably smaller ones
Olive oil
Kosher salt
4 mandarin oranges, peeled, and segmented (or orange supremes)
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled into large chunks
Fresh mint leaves

Dressing Ingredients
2 tablespoons finely minced shallot
Zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper

To make the beets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the beets well, then dry. Put on a large sheet of foil, drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, then wrap up tightly. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 90 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork (this may take longer than expected). Unwrap and allow to rest until cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins with a paring knife, then cut into small wedges. Set aside.

To make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, whisk until emulsified.

To assemble: Add the beets to the bowl with the dressing. Toss until the beets are well coated. Divide between four plates. Garnish with mandarins, crumbled goat cheese, and fresh mint.

Rhubarb Rose Jam with Biscuits & Honey Butter

Tart rhubarb meets its match with rose and vanilla in this beautiful jam; all it needs is the bread (or biscuits) and butter.

Jam Ingredients
1 pound local rhubarb, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon rosewater

Honey Butter Ingredients
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons local honey
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Biscuit Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
16 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

To make the jam: In a medium pot, mix together the rhubarb and the sugar. Cover and let sit for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes. By the end of the hour, it should be juicy. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Stirring constantly, cook until the rhubarb has fallen apart and the mixture has thickened, about 7 to 10 minutes. Place into a heatproof glass container, cover, and chill for at least three hours. Makes one pint.

To make the butter: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix until smooth.

To make the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips, until it has broken into small pebbles. Pour over the buttermilk. Mix gently until you have a mostly cohesive dough with some dry spots, then turn out onto a cutting board.

Flatten the dough out with your hands to a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough over itself like you would fold a letter. Repeat this process one more time. Pat or roll the dough to a rough 6-by-8-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares. Brush tops with heavy cream. Place biscuits 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden on tops and bottoms. Serve immediately, or toast before having with butter and jam.