Beets are a very easy vegetable to love. Let's start with the color — magenta, pink striped, golden.
Sweeter and more complex than carrots, their flavors are earthy and often hard to define. Sure, you can find beets in the supermarket all year long, but right now they're in the peak of their season, tender and succulent, with happy green tops.
When choosing beets, look for unblemished bulbs with sturdy, unwilted greens. The flavors vary slightly — red ones are the earthiest, the pink and white striated Chioggia beets are mild, and the golden beets are the sweetest — but they can be used interchangeably in all recipes. The beet tops are delicious — simply stir-fry or sauté them as you would kale or collard greens.
Roasting is the easiest and most straightforward way to cook beets, but it takes the longest for them to cook through. To roast them, first remove and reserve the greens. Scrub the beets, poke them with a sharp knife or fork, and roast in a 400-degree oven until they're easily penetrated by the tip of a knife, about 45 to 60 minutes depending on size. Remove from the oven, cool and then slip off their skins. Enjoy them in a cool beet salad or warm, drizzled with a little lemon butter.
To cook the greens, remove and discard the tough stem. Chop the leaves and sauté in a little olive oil until they're wilted and season with sherry or balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper, and serve with the cooked beets on top.
In the heat of this season, I like them raw, shredded and dressed with a sharp vinaigrette. This recipe calls for an old-fashioned herb — lovage — with its distinct celery flavor. It adds a lively herbal note to the sugary essence of raw beets, but basil, parsley or thyme will work equally well.
You can take the salad in a completely different direction by using sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and a little shredded fresh ginger. This fresh crisp salad will hold a day or two in the refrigerator, so feel free to make it ahead. It travels nicely on picnics and to the beach or the cabin. This salad is as pretty as a sunset.
Fresh Raw Beet Salad
Serves 4 to 6.
Note: The red beets may "bleed" a little into the golden beets, so keep them separate until ready to dress. From Beth Dooley.
• 1 1/2 to 2 lb. red and gold beets, peeled
• 2 large shallots
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. red wine or sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 to 3 tbsp. chopped fresh lovage, or more to taste
Directions
Grate the beets and the shallots and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar, then whisk in the oil.
In a medium bowl, gently toss the beets with the dressing and add the lovage. Serve at room temperature or cold.
Nutrition information per each of 4 servings:
Calories85Fat5 gSodium100 mg
Carbohydrates9 gSaturated fat1 gTotal sugars6 g
Protein2 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber3 g
Exchanges per serving: 2 vegetable, 1 fat.
Beth Dooley is the author of "In Winter's Kitchen." Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.
