Beets can accent a spring flatbread, a summer salad or a fall soup. Here are three simple beet recipes to incorporate into your everyday cooking!
Pickled Beets
Boil beets (trimmed of green tops and taproots) in a pot of salted water for 25-35 minutes. Remove beets from water and cool, then peel and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
Mix a briney syrup of 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 cloves garlic and 3 inches of ginger root, peeled and sliced thinly. Add the syrup mixture and sliced beets to a pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes, until beets are tender.
Add your favorite winter spices (cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and cardamom pods are wonderful) to jars or tupperware containers, then fill them up with the beets and juice. Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Beet Chips
For a healthier, seasonal alternative to potato chips.
Preheat the oven to 350º. Trim and peel your beets, then thinly slice using a food processor or mandolin. Toss with olive oil in a large mixing bowl and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes, removing them from the oven when the edges start to brown. Let them cool for a minute on a paper towel, then season with Rosemary Seneca Sea Salt and lemon zest.
Roasted Beets
Instead of boiling or steaming, try roasting beets to keep all the flavor in.
Heat the oven to 400o. Rinse trimmed beets and wrap each in tin foil. Put them on a tray in the oven for an hour (less for small beets, more for big beets). Check if they’re done by sliding a fork in: if it glides in and out, they’re ready. Wait until they’re cool enough to handle, then run each beet under cold water and easily peel the skin off. Slice them up and store them for up to a week!
Don’t forget the greens! Tasty and simple beet greens are often overlooked. Boil them for about 2 minutes, chop, then sauté with garlic, lemon and seasoning of choice.
Recipes and photos compiled by Allison Usavage
This article originally appeared in our November/December 2014 issue. For more from that issue, check out this recipe.
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