Beets and Beet Greens

Season: Fall/Winter/Spring
Storage: Refrigerator crisper for 1 – 2 weeks. For longer storage remove green tops and store the vegetables unwashed in a perforated container

Fun Facts: Beets can be traced back to prehistory around the Mediterranean; however, either the Germans or Italians developed the bulbous root that we know today as recently as the 1500s. Word to the wise: don’t throw away those greens at the top of your beets – eat them! (They’re even MORE nutritious than the beet itself.) Beet greens are great additions to kimchi and salads and can be used similarly to Swiss Chard in soups, stews, and stir-fries. This beautiful root is more than the featured attraction in borscht. These days beets are found in smoothies and juices and are commonly pickled or roasted.

Get local beets and beet greens by joining our Farm Share or shopping at farmer’s markets, then share your favorite preparations through our Facebook page.

Borscht

From “The Immigrant Cookbook,” collected and edited by Leyla Moushabeck. Recipe by Ryan Lachaine, executive chef and co-owner of Riel, in Houston, TX.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb beets, washed and scrubbed

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 bunch dill, tied with twine, plus a few springs to garnish

  • 3/4 cup canned chopped tomatoes

  • 3 cups beef stock

  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 2 – 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Salt

  • Shaved horseradish, to serve (optional)

  • Crème fraîche, to serve

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Place the beats on a baking sheet and roast until tender, 60 to 80 minutes. Once cooled, remove the skin, chop the flesh, and set aside.

  • Place the oil in a large deep saute pan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beets, dill, and tomatoes. Increase heat to medium-high and saute until the dill wilts and the beets turn the onions purple, about 3 minutes. Add the beef stock, maple syrup, vinegar, and bay leaf. Adjust the heat to bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook until all the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and add salt to your liking.

  • Remove from heat and let cool. Discard the bay leaf and dill. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Strain through a chinois or sieve, and season with salt, if needed. Garnish with shaved horseradish, a dollop of crème fraîche, and a sprig of dill.

Warm Beets and Beet Greens

Recipe adapted from Roots Down Community Farm

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch beets with their greens

  • ½ red onion, sliced

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans

  • 1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

  • Goat cheese or Parmesan or Romano cheese

Instructions

  • Roast the beets: Cut greens off beets and set greens aside. Wrap beets in foil and place on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven and roast at 375 degrees for about one hour.

  • Take the beets out of the oven to cool in the foil for 10 min. (Keeping them in the foil will help loosen the skin.) When cold enough to handle, remove the skin and slice beets into big pieces and set aside.

  • Wash beet greens. Sauté the onion olive oil on medium heat for ten minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add roughly chopped beet greens and cook until the beet greens are wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garbanzo beans and beets and heat for a few minutes. Add in the goat cheese, or Parmesan, or Romano and serve. Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

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