Dinner Tonight: French "Peasant" Beets + Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart

We're feeling a bit French today, and we thought you might be too. What'll be on our tables tonight? We're getting our vegetables in (and greens too, please) with Amy_N-B's perfectly Parisian, earthy French "Peasant" Beets. Eaten with a glass of Sancerre on the side, we could easily stop there, but tonight, we're skipping happily along to dessert. Because our night wouldn't be truly French without a little sliver of something sweet, now would it? 

The Menu 

Click through on the recipe photos or titles to see (and save and print) the full recipes, but we've also written you a handy grocery list and game plan below.

French "Peasant" Beets by Amy_N-B

Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart by dymnyno 

The Grocery List

1 bunch beets with greens 
1 bunch Swiss chard 
1 Meyer lemon
A round of Bucheron cheese 
Crusty bread 

If your pantry isn't already stocked with butter, shallot, superfine sugar, vanilla, eggs, and flour, add those to your list! And you'll need to spare a few tablespoons of that white wine you're drinking, too -- if you don't have a bottle to open, you'll need one. 

The Plan 

1. In the world of prepping, natural order is sometimes disrupted. Here, it's dessert first. Blend all of your ingredients, pour into your tart shell, and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool, and try not to sneak a taste. 

2. Now, it's on to the veggies: scrub, peel and slice your beets. Chop their greens, and then do the same with your chard. 

3. Get a sauté pan all nice and hot, let your butter and shallots make friends, and then in go the beets.

4. When things start to smell good, about 15 minutes later, add in your greens, wait, take a sip of wine, then give one to your beets. You're in the home stretch. 

5. Pile your plate high with your root vegetables. Add a hunk of bread and cheese for good, French measure, but don't forget what's next -- you'll want to save a little room for that tart.