Storage:
Can be stored with greens on in your produce drawer. Greens are best within
a few days. Once greens are removed, trim stems off and store roots in
a paper bag in your refrigerator produce drawer. Roots will keep this
way for several months.
Preparation
& Storage:
You can use both the tops and the roots of beets. To use greens, cut stems
where the leaves start. The greens are mild, similar to spinach. Grate
the roots and use uncooked on salad, or use grated root to add a beautiful
color and earthy flavor to risotto. If you are cooking the whole root,
it will retain more vitamins if cooked with its skin on. Beet roots can
be boiled or baked/roasted like potatoes. To roast beets, brush or mist
with olive or other mild oil and place in a heavy pan in a 350 to 400
degree F oven for 45 minutes or more depending upon the beets' size. Beets
will soften like a baked potato. Alternatively, brush them with oil and
cook them on your grill like as you would a "baked" potato.
Recipes:
See Greens for recipe ideas for beet greens.
German-Style
Pickled Beets with Anise with Dill
from Bill Brown
Bill says these are a favorite with his young children.
1 small bunch
beets, washed & tops trimmed to 2 inches
1 small onion, chopped
Marinade:
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. cider or wine vinegar
salt and pepper
pinch of sugar (optional)
1-2 tsp. anise seed
Cook beets until just tender, perhaps 30 minutes. Slip off skins, roots & tops, then slice thin while still warm. Add onions and cover with marinade. Cool to room temperature before serving. Keeps for a week or so in fridge.
Herbed
Beets with Horseradish Sauce
from Tamra Stallings
2 pounds
beets, peeled, and chunked
2 t
fresh thyme
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
Toss together and bake at 400F until tender. (Note: smaller chunks cook more quickly). Allow to cool.
Meanwhile
whisk together sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 T apple cider or other mild vinegar
2 T horseradish
Toss with beets with sauce after they've cooled. Serve on top of a bed of arugula, or steamed beet greents. Top with toasted walnut halves or pieces.
Optional: Add 2 T chopped chives and/or chopped prosciutto or shave serrano ham to taste. You can pickup prosciutto at Persimmon Grocery at 111 N. Walnut in Champaign or Art Mart at Lincoln Square in Urbana.
Pasta
with Rubies
Anna Barnes
1-2 large
beets
1 lb
pasta, fettucine works well
2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. dried rosemary, crushed
salt and peper to taste
Roast beets following directions in "Preparation" above. When cool enough to handle, peel, cube, and set aside. Cook pasta and drain. In pasta pan, heat oil. Saute garlic and add rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add pasta, stir. Toss in beets. Serves 4.
.