I just got done cooking a batch of candied golden beets. Ever since one of my pals cooked some candied parsnips for me around thanksgiving time, I have been HOOKED on dousing root vegetables in inordinate amounts of fat, sugar, and salt. Thanks for the love handles, Matt! However, the beets themselves, while essential, are secondary to this story.

Candied Golden Beets

1 lb golden beets, skinned and sliced to 1/8th-inch thickness (get your mandoline hand ready)
1 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp whole cumin seed
pinch of turmeric (fresh-grated a BONUS!)
Optional - a sage leaf or two

Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet on high (10-inch+ would be good). Add the sliced beets, maple syrup and salt. Add water just to cover the beets, and stir to combine.

When about half of the liquid has reduced, add the spices and herbs, and reduce heat to medium-high.

When beets are al dente and nearly all the liquid has boiled away, spoon the beets into a serving bowl. Jeez, that smells good. Leave the remaining liquid in the pan.

OK, so that’s wonderful and all, but the coolest part came next…

Golden Beet Caramel

Continue to reduce the remaining beet/maple/butter/spice liquid until it begins to foam unctuously. Marshal the foam into a smallish pile with a silicone spatula.

Observe and wait for a shift from golden brown to caramel brown. When the shift occurs, gingerly drip the foaming liquid onto a silicone baking mat, or a cold non-stick skillet.

The resulting flaky, hard caramel has the ever-so-satisfying crunch and buttery, salty sin-factor you’d expect, with a downright improbably tasty hint of that earthy beet sweetness. Eat them, fast. Before somebody walks into the kitchen and catches a whiff.

I think it’s time to take my own advice. Ciao!