Beet and Beet Green Recipes
mature beets with greens
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bunches of baby beet greens
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beets, carrots and purple carrots on display
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About Beets:
The deep intense red of the beet is like no other vegetable. In the spring summer and fall we harvest beets with their leaves still attached. In the earliest spring we usually harvest them as beet green which are mostly leaves with tiny little beets attaches. Beet greens should be eaten fresh. Keep for about 1 week in the fridge in a plastic bag. You can steam them whole until the largest beet is tender then cut through the stems a few times with a sharp knife and enjoy hot with butter and maybe a little vinegar. Later in the season when the beets are bigger, treat the roots and leaves separately. Cut the roots off leaving about 1 inch of stem. Eat the leaves fresh as you would beet greens. The roots will keep in a plastic bag in fridge indefinitely. You can cook them by boiling or steaming until tender (about 30 minutes). Then run under cold water and the skins will slip right off. Slice and eat. They are also great roasted: cube beets, coat with olive oil and roast in hot oven for 40 minutes or until tender.
Chocolate Beet Cake:
Bubbie’s Borscht
1 bunch beets
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large onions, diced
3 C water
2 C vegetable or chicken stock
1 C shredded Napa cabbage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
Combine beets, carrots, onions and water in a stockpot. Simmer 20 minutes, or until beets are tender. Remove and skin the beets. Add stock, cabbage, garlic and bay leaf. Simmer 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Remove the vegetables and puree them in a food processor with the beets. (Or return beets to the pot and puree with an immersion blender.) Add lemon juice and season with salt & pepper. Serve hot or cold with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of minced dill.
Raw Beet & Carrot Salad (adapted from Gourmet magazine)
¼ C orange juice
1 Tbs lemon juice
¼ C olive oil
1 bunch beets
1 bunch carrots
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Whisk together juices, oil and pinch salt & pepper. Wash, trim and peel beets and carrots. Grate them into a bowl. Toss together beets, carrots, parsley, onion and dressing. Let stand 30 minutes. Toss again, season with salt & pepper and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
Beet Greens
Butter and Lemon Braised Beet Greens
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 scallion
1 bunch beet greens
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet on low until butter is melted, add one finely chopped scallion and sauté one minute. Add one bunch beet greens and 2 tablespoons water, sauté 5 minutes until just tender. Uncover and allow any remaining liquid to cook away. Toss with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
The deep intense red of the beet is like no other vegetable. In the spring summer and fall we harvest beets with their leaves still attached. In the earliest spring we usually harvest them as beet green which are mostly leaves with tiny little beets attaches. Beet greens should be eaten fresh. Keep for about 1 week in the fridge in a plastic bag. You can steam them whole until the largest beet is tender then cut through the stems a few times with a sharp knife and enjoy hot with butter and maybe a little vinegar. Later in the season when the beets are bigger, treat the roots and leaves separately. Cut the roots off leaving about 1 inch of stem. Eat the leaves fresh as you would beet greens. The roots will keep in a plastic bag in fridge indefinitely. You can cook them by boiling or steaming until tender (about 30 minutes). Then run under cold water and the skins will slip right off. Slice and eat. They are also great roasted: cube beets, coat with olive oil and roast in hot oven for 40 minutes or until tender.
Chocolate Beet Cake:
- Pre-heat oven to 375 and oil and flour a 10-cup bundt pan or two loaf pans.
- Melt 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and ¼ cup oil in a double boiler.
- In a large bowl, beat 3 eggs and 1 ¾ cups sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in ¾ cup oil, slightly cooled chocolate mixture, 2 cups pureed cooked beets and 1-tablespoon vanilla.
- In another bowl sift together 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda and ¼ tsp salt. Gently stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan(s).
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and eat when completely cooled.
Bubbie’s Borscht
1 bunch beets
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large onions, diced
3 C water
2 C vegetable or chicken stock
1 C shredded Napa cabbage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
Combine beets, carrots, onions and water in a stockpot. Simmer 20 minutes, or until beets are tender. Remove and skin the beets. Add stock, cabbage, garlic and bay leaf. Simmer 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Remove the vegetables and puree them in a food processor with the beets. (Or return beets to the pot and puree with an immersion blender.) Add lemon juice and season with salt & pepper. Serve hot or cold with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of minced dill.
Raw Beet & Carrot Salad (adapted from Gourmet magazine)
¼ C orange juice
1 Tbs lemon juice
¼ C olive oil
1 bunch beets
1 bunch carrots
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Whisk together juices, oil and pinch salt & pepper. Wash, trim and peel beets and carrots. Grate them into a bowl. Toss together beets, carrots, parsley, onion and dressing. Let stand 30 minutes. Toss again, season with salt & pepper and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
Beet Greens
Butter and Lemon Braised Beet Greens
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 scallion
1 bunch beet greens
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet on low until butter is melted, add one finely chopped scallion and sauté one minute. Add one bunch beet greens and 2 tablespoons water, sauté 5 minutes until just tender. Uncover and allow any remaining liquid to cook away. Toss with lemon juice, salt and pepper.