So many winter roots are lacking in color — turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, celery and parsley roots, for instance. A few, like sweet potatoes and carrots offer shades of yellow and orange, but none are more vibrant and bold than dark Big Red, candy-striped Chioggia or fiery Golden beets. It’s tough to miss these colorful orbs in a winter vegetable line-up at the market. Still, folks often pass them by. How many of us willingly tuck into the pickled beet on a plate? In earlier days I passed beets off to my enlightened, beet-loving sister. It wasn’t until they found a regular spot in my CSA delivery years ago that I resolved to find a way to cook with them. And love them, too.
When you play around with beets in the kitchen, you’ll find they have some challenging qualities. For starters, the cooked roots bleed magenta juice like severed vegetable arteries in triage care. With the addition of cream-colored ingredients they quickly turn a vibrant Barbie-pink — acceptable for plastic toys but troubling in food (unfortunate since dairy products like goat cheese, sour cream and yogurt are natural partners). Luckily the bleeding is manageable without bandages or tourniquets. The key is dressing the beets separately and adding to bowl or plate at the last minute with a minimum of stirring. Wearing dark clothes helps.
Beets are sweet and earthy — so sweet they love the balance provided by peppery or bitter greens and sharp goat cheese. Beet salad has become a ubiquitous fixture on menus with ample reason. There is no finer treatment. Add a touch of walnut oil and toasted nuts, seasonal orange segments and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar — you’re on the way to changing minds about beets.
In keeping with the latest trends (any salad in a bowl can double as a sandwich when thrown between slices of bread), try slivers of roasted beet on top of dark bread smeared with local goat cheese and a handful of arugula. Maybe some shaved shallot, a couple of torn kalamata olives or chopped, toasted hazelnuts on top. A drizzle of excellent oil and vinegar complete the package.
Beets contribute to a tender, moist crumb in chocolate cake — yes, you read right. Along the lines of carrot or zucchini, but this time with a devilish purple tinge that slips by unnoticed, as dessert lovers dig in. No one suspects beet in a crumb. When the secret is revealed, diners protest in shock. “Can’t be!” You’ve found one of the best (and most unexpected) uses for beets. Whir some in the blender, and place in a small Ziploc in the freezer for the next chocolate cake. Holidays are upon us, so why not?
Recipes inspired by this week’s Freshness Farms delivery:
Recipe – French Lentils with Sautéed Mushrooms and Roasted Vegetables
This cake was a hit with the family. It’s moist and delicious without being too sweet. Even the process of putting the ingredients together was enjoyable–the batter has an fantastic pink color. I’m thinking of adding other “cake vegetables” like carrots and zucchini next time to see how they blend in with the beets. The beauty of this cake, however, is that unless you are told, you’d never know beets were part of the recipe.