Produce Recipes: Beets


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CSA-L

 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 Art Mart at Lincoln Square in Urbana, Illinois.

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.

 

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