Roasted Beets at O'o Farms
O’o Farm in Upcountry Maui
O’o farm is situated in the rural Waipoli district of Kula, The 8.5 acre diversified natural farm is owned and operated by the Pacific’O and I’O restaurants located at 505 Front Street in Lahaina which are under the direction of Chef James McDonald. Up at the farm, the lunch tours showcase a farm-to-table culinary experience. Gourmet lunch tours are $50 per person and run every Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. hot apple cider and pastries are served before a delightful tour of O’o Farm’s natural and biodynamic practices. The tour is followed by delicious lunch made from the produce gathered on the tour. Chef McDonald gracious supplied the recipe for the yummy Roasted Beets we had after a recent O’o farm tour. For more information on the tours please go to www.oofarm.com, for reservations call 808 667 4341 or email reservationist@pacificomaui.com.
Leafy Greens at O'o Farms
Leafy Greens at O’o Farms
You can see the variety of green leafy vegetables at O’o Farms, pictured above is lettuce which includes red and green leaf varieties, red and green oak, romaine, butter, mesclun, and radicchio, cabbage: the Chinese won bok, bok choi, pak choi, and the gourmet tat soi, spinach: a buttery type of Bloomsdale known as Melody, arugula: also called Rocket and Chard: the colorful rainbow Swiss chard.
Roasted Beets with Macadamia Pesto
Yield 6 portions
Ingredients
1 lb. Beets, skin on, stems removed, scrubbed
2 tsp. Sea Salt
½ c. + 1 Tbl. Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 c. Basil Leaves, loose pack, fresh
2 cloves Garlic
1 Tbl. Ginger Root, rough chopped
¼ c. Macadamia Nuts
1 c. Feta Cheese Crumbles
½ c. Pine Nuts, toasted
½ c. Raisins
Ground Pepper, to taste
1 sheet Foil
Method
Place beets on foil, coat in 1 tablespoon of oil, season with 1-tablespoon salt, close foil around beets and place into a 400-degree oven until beets are almost tender when pierced with a toothpick, approximately 1½ hours. Remove them from oven and allow them to steam in foil for approximately 30 minutes. Remove skins and slice beets into desired shapes.
Make pesto by adding ½ cup oil, basil, garlic, ginger, macadamia nuts and remaining salt into a blender. Puree for about 10 seconds until ingredients are roughly smooth.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat; add pesto and beets and cook until warmed, approximately 1 minute. Season with ground pepper and arrange on individual plates or serve in a bowl. Sprinkle feta cheese and raisins over top and serve.
