It caramelizes the sugars in the beets, giving them a sweeter and more concentrated flavor.

Puréed beets were an early solid food that met with approval from my son. The continued re-introduction of vegetables in more age-appropriate forms has become a fun challenge for me in the kitchen.

With summer officially here, this week I’m sharing two good-for-a -crowd salads. Both delicious — although demanding a little work, well worth the effort.