Feta, beet and pear skewers

A festive and flavourful appetizer!

Beets and cheese have been a popular combination for decades and I love pulling this pair together in different ways, such as this tasty salad and these crowd-pleasing tarts. To elevate the presentation of these vegetarian treats I found some fancy skewers at my local dollar store; I’ve seen them at kitchen shops as well.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-large beet, roasted, peeled and cooled
• 1 block feta (you won’t use it all)
• 1 ripe pear, peeled and cored
• 1/2 fresh lemon
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

• Cut the beet into cubes approximately 3/4-inch (2 cm) in size and place them on a plate. Cut the feta into cubes of a similar size and put them on a separate plate. Cut the pear into pieces about the same size; put them on a third plate and squeeze lemon juice over top to prevent them from browning. Toss gently to coat evenly.
• Thread one pear cube onto a skewer. Fold a flat parsley leaf in half or thirds and thread it on after the pear. Add one beet cube then another folded parsley leaf. Thread a feta cube on last. Repeat with remaining ingredients on additional skewers.
• Arrange prepared brochettes on a serving platter.
• The skewers can be made up to 8 hours in advance; just cover and refrigerate. Remove tray from fridge one hour before serving.

1 beet makes approximately 10 skewers; recipe can easily be multiplied.