Photo Credit: www. bsinthekitchen. com, April 2012

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the beets:
4 to 6 medium red beets
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 ounce sherry (optional)

6 to 8 ounces small arugula leaves
6 ounces soft mild goat cheese, softened
4 – 6 tablespoons of butter, divided
Eight 1/2-inch-thick French bread slices, or other country bread

Directions:
For this recipe, preheat the oven to 400 ° F.

Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one using a paring knife or a vegetable peeler. Evenly cut the beets into 1 1/2-inch slices.

Place the sliced beets on a foil lined baking sheets and toss them in olive oil , balsamic vinegar, thyme , salt, and pepper.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender.

Once the beets have cooked to the desired tenderness, remove them from the oven and continue to cook in a cast iron skillet heated on medium-high heat. Quickly fry the beets with about a ½ ounce of sherry wine, cooking until the liquid has evaporated.

Once the beets have been fried. butter each sides of the bread. Place the arugula, a little bit of goat cheese, followed by the beets and some more goat cheese. Place the second slice of bread on top of the mass and press the two halves together. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Add another tablespoon of butter to a clean cast iron skillet. Heat the skilled on medium high. Add the sandwich to the skillet and fry on onse side until it is golden brown for 2 to 3 minutes Using a spatula, flip the sandwich and fry the other side until it is golden brown.

To serve, place the sandwich on a small plate and then sliced it in half.

Enjoy!