Beets

Beets are like cilantro. Either you love them or they taste like dirt, and no amount of coaxing or persuasion can change the genetic programming of the tastebuds. 

Luckily, my whole family got the "loves beets" gene, because I don't think I could resist cooking with them this time of year when they're piled up all come-hither at the farmer's market. And they're great for you. The greens are higher in iron than spinach, and both the greens and the roots are packed with vitamins and antioxidants (lots of folate and Vitamin A.)

They're a useful little root, too. Until I left Michigan and couldn't find Pioneer any longer, I didn't realize that people don't make baking sugar out of beets everywhere. They also can be used to manufacture bioplastics. 

All that, and good-looking

In the fall, I'll be posting Tom's borscht recipe, but in the summer I usually just roast the beets and leave them in the fridge until I'm ready to use them. 

The other day at the farmer's market a shopper asked me how long to cook the beets so that they are still firm enough to use in a recipe that involves beets on a skewer and a dipping sauce. I didn't have an answer for her at the time, but after thinking about the times I've left my beets in the oven overly-long, I don't think they ever lose their firm, kind of gelatinous texture. 

More importantly, I forgot to ask her about the skewered beets recipe! Anyone have one? Would love to try it.

Roast beets

Preheat oven to 350

If this is your first time using beets and you've purchased the classic purple variety - be aware that the juice stains like crazy, including wooden cutting boards. PARENTS! Warn your kids (and their daycare providers) that their pee is going to be a bit pinkish/orangish the day after a meal of beets.

Gently rinse the beets. The skin will come off later, so don't worry about a little dirt. Don't trim the skin because you don't want the juice to flow out onto the pan. Trim off the greens, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem. (If the greens are still fresh, save them for cooking.) Leave some of the rooty bottom, too, again to keep the juice inside the beet.

I've seen recipes that say to put oil and salt and pepper on the beets at this point. But the skins will be coming off, so I skip that step. Put some aluminum foil in the bottom of a 9x13 pan (any pan with edges in case of juicing.) Put beets in the pan about an inch apart. Cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour until cooked.

Allow the beets to cool enough so that they can be handled. Remove peels under running water (they will come right off.) If you will not be using the beets right away, they can be refrigerated with the skins on until you're ready to use them. 


Last night I prepared the beets I roasted a few days ago by just pan-sauteing with onion. Milo ran in from playing with the neighbors and grabbed a bite (of beet) out of the serving dish. "Mom, is this onion? Because if it is, it's the most perfect onion ever grown." 

best thing about summer cooking with fresh veggies: you really don't have to do much.

Rating: Four big, enthusiastic thumbs-up from my young diners.

Salad

After reading this post, you'll be shopping for beets this weekend, right? I've made myself hungry, at least. Here are a couple of other easy ideas. 

Roasted beets plus sweet onion and vinaigrette, garnished with hard-boiled egg slices, make a tasty and attractive salad.

If you've bought golden beets, you can use them in a summer potato salad. Also add sweet onions, some yellow and red bell peppers, and a dressing made with white balsalmic vinegar (1 part), olive oil (2 parts), some dijon mustard, and herbs of your choice. (I'd choose something sweet - marjoram and thyme, maybe.) Add a bit of honey if the dressing is too acidic. The sweetness of the beets complements the vinegar and the bland potatoes. Plus: mayonnaise- and egg-free, so you can pack it in your picnic basket.

USDA Beet Fact Sheet

Illinois Extension on Beets (scroll down on this page for another roasted beet recipe)