The only thing not much good for eating on a bunch of beets is the rough skin on the beets themselves. There's much flavor and nutrition to be had in both the stems and the greens. Almost all the time at the green grocer we hear the produce & check out staff asking customers if they want to keep the beet greens. And more often than not, they say no. Well, Avantiacs always say yes. Now, if they are bug eaten, wilted and tired as they often are in the summer, keep them for your back yard chickens or to compost. And if you have neither a chick nor a compost bin, then do discard them. But from early fall until late spring the mighty, organic beet greens are usually plump, rich and full of flavor potential.
Indeed, they must be washed well, especially those that are organically grown. It's easy to do. Fill your sink or a wash tub w/ cool water, cut the greens and stems from the beets, just above the beet itself. Put the greens and stems into the cool water and soak for about 15 mins. Pull them out of the water and into a colander. Rinse out the sink or tub and repeat. I find that the lucky number 4 works best when washing the dirt off the greens and stems. It's a little time consuming cutting the stems. But hum a song, say a prayer and find your mojo as you tackle the task. Here's what the stems and leaves look like when separated and the stems are cut nicely.
Next add the stems to a skillet along w/ a few cloves of minced garlic, your favorite sea salt blend, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil and a bit of liquid. I prefer Japanese sake or an Italian dry white vermouth. A little minced ginger and onion add flavor and healthful properties too. See The Mighty Trinity Roots.
We've added salt to the cold pan, since the beet stems are fibrous and we plan to sweat them. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Stir frequently. Once most of the liquid has cooked down, add a splash of water, then add the chopped beet leaves. Stir once, put a lid on the skillet and turn the heat off. Allow to steam and cool for about 15 mins. Now these gorgeous flavorful greens are ready to use in any culinary way you can imagine. Try them in pasta, on pizza, in risotto, w/ polenta, to flavor your favorite tagine. Chicken and seafood adore them, savory rice porridge and oatmeals are enlivened. Serve them w/ some capers or with the roasted or boiled beets as a dish on their own.
Once done, they look like this. Ahhhh, scrumptious indeedy!
Voila! A serving suggestion of the lovely golden and red beet greens paired w/ sauted mushrooms, whole roasted garlic cloves, whole wheat penne, brown & wild rice & basil blossom & organic homemade crema garnish. Bon Apetit!
Eating Healthy & Delicious is a Win Win Win
Situation!
Eat, Live & Party Well
Blog post by Chef Mark Cleveland
Avanti is the longstanding leader in organic,
sustainable, local, flavorful cuisine in Orange County, CA.
Meaning 'forward' in Italian, Avanti Natural is a
culinary philosophy that integrates the best of traditional European and Asian
healthful eating with the latest nutritional information for optimum health.
Our successful restaurant Avanti Café was located on
17th St in Costa Mesa from 2005 through 2014. Follow us on social media to see what
is new and in store for Avanti in our culinary futures.
At Avanti Natural, we believe that you don't have to
sacrifice taste to eat healthy; you can Eat Well & Live Well
No comments:
Post a Comment