Since the purchase of my juicer, I have a ton of beets in my vegetable crisper; more than what I know what to do with. This weekend, we hosted a dinner party for two very dear friends of ours. I was determined to make an appetizer that included at least one beet, knowing not everyone loves beets.

This was how my Beet and Pear Wonton Crisp was born. I paired the beets with pear, lemon juice, goat cheese and chives on a crispy wonton square.  I was really pleased with the results, and my guests were, too. This beet and pear wonton crisp is a no-fuss recipe. The only cooking is roasting the beet and baking the wonton wrappers. That’s it!

After the verdict came in from our guests, I’m now sure beets can be loved by everyone.

Ingredients:

• 1 large beet, roasted, peeled and diced
• 2 or 3 pears, diced
• 1 package of goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon (drizzle) of grape seed oil
• 1/4 lemon, juice only
• handful of chives, chopped
• 1 package of wonton wrapper
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse your beet, rub off any dirt, and trim off any leaves and stems. Wrap in foil and place in the oven on the center rack. Roast for 1 – 1.5 hours until the beet is tender. Test it by piercing it with a knife, if it is soft, it’s done roasting. Remove from oven and let cool. Lower the heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit to bake the wonton wrappers. Once the beet cools, peel with a pairing knife or with your fingers. Set aside.

Get all your ingredients ready. I roasted my beet the night before and refrigerated it overnight, which you can do as well if you have the time. If not, just follow the roasting step above. When the beet is done roasting, lower the heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit to bake the wonton wrappers.

Next, slice the wonton wrappers into quarters. You can either cut them into squares or triangles or both. It’s best to grab a stack and slice through instead of one-by-one. Place on a non-stick baking sheet and place in the oven on the center rack until golden brown, about ten minutes. Repeat these steps until all the wonton wrappers are baked. Let cool and set aside.

While the wonton wrappers are cooling, Slice and dice the peeled beet and chop the chives.

Dice the pears. I ended up using only two pears out of the three I prepped. The pears I bought were large. Go with what you think is best. If you like more pear than beet, give it a try. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

In a nonreactive bowl, add the beets, pears and chives with a drizzle of grape seed oil. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and add a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of  fresh ground black pepper. Mix all the ingredients together.

Next, using a butter knife, grab the baked wonton wrappers and one-by-one, smear a layer of goat cheese, then top with the beet and pear mixture and garnish with fresh chopped chives. Repeat these steps until done.

The wonton wrappers can be baked a few days in advance. Just wrap them tightly in a Ziploc bag or container and store in a cool, dry place until you are ready to use them. It’s best to add the topping to your one-bites right before your guests arrive to prevent the wonton wrapper from getting soggy.

One of  the best things about this one-bite is the color. The beets are deep red and their juice turns the pears into a florescent pink. Besides the healthy beet and pear topping, the wonton’s are baked, not fried, which is better for everyone! I paired this one-bite with a chilled and fruity Sauvignon Blanc. It goes nicely with the earthy beet, fruity pear, creamy goat cheese and crispy wonton with a kick of chive.

As was stated earlier, don’t be afraid to experiment a bit with the ratio of beet to pear. If you have a dislike of beets, don’t worry. This recipe tames much of the aggressive flavor some ways of beet preparation can lend themselves to. Our friends love the ratio as shown above. We hope yours do, too. Bon appétit!