beets

I have been spending a large amount of time at home due in most part to the cycle of food shopping, preparing meals and dining in. It works wonders for the bank account. Really, it does. But honestly, once September begins and the slightest crispness takes over in the air, I always find myself happily in the kitchen again. Over the summer I was doing a decent bit of juicing and started to enjoy adding beets to my mixes. The taste is one I enjoy, the sugar is a boost in the mornings and the color beets produce is absolutely divine. This past week I picked up some nice organic beets at the market and decided to try something new... using the entire beet and it's greens. So I started by making sauteed beet greens and then, pickling the bulbs.

Sauteed Beet Greens

Start by trimming the greens off of the beets and supplementing some bulk by adding a bunch of swiss chard. After soaking them twice in a sink full of cold water to remove any sand or dirt they are ready to be chopped.  But first, while soaking start sauteing two chopped strips of thick cut bacon in a large pot. Once the bacon starts to crisp, add a large chopped shallot and lower the flame. While that slowly cooks, get back to chopping the greens, tossing some of the hardier stems in early with the onion and bacon. Next add a minced clove of garlic and raise the heat. After about two minutes on a medium-high heat add a 1/4 cup of dry white wine and 1/4 cup of water, scrape the bottom of the pan clean and get everything mixed together. Finally toss the chopped greens in and cover. Let them wilt and cook down tossing occasionally to incorporate everything. Once it is all reduced add some salt, pepper & chili flakes to taste and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for a kick. Delicious!

Pickled Beets
The following day I tackled the beets themselves. Start by washing them well, quarter them and cook in a steamer for 30 minutes. Once finished and cooled, remove their skins by gently rubbing them away with a paper towel. Slice them, toss them into a quart jar or airtight container and add a thinly sliced shallot and a teaspoon of each: whole peppercorns, whole coriander and chili flakes. You can use the beet water left from steaming and pour it inside the jar to fill it half way. Top off the rest with half white wine vinegar and half apple cider vinegar. Into the fridge they go and will be tasting more delicious every day.