Dirty Beets!

My sister Wendy does not like beets at all.  She says they taste like "dirt."  I can't say that she's wrong, but there's just something about vegetables that taste like the ground they were grown in that really appeals to me.  I love beets, plus they are packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, making them an excellent VB6 option.  (Please see the May Introduction post for background on VB6.)  I love the variety of colors beets come in, I love their texture, I love peeling and cutting them, and most of all, I love their earthy flavor.  This week, I made yellow beets -- bright orange on the outside, deep yellow on the inside, and full of flavor.

Beets are super easy to prepare. I just lop off the stems, scrub the dirt off in cold water, and put them in a pot of salted cold water, which I bring to a boil.  I cook them until they are just fork-tender.  Next, I immerse them in cold water to halt the cooking, and when they are cool enough to handle, I just peel the skin off with my hands.  With just a little bit of coaxing, the skin literally falls right off.

           

Next I slice them up -- always, always in wedges!  I don't know why, but I think that wedges are the perfect shape for beets.  To finish the beets, I generally add an oil (usually olive oil), an acid (lemon or any type of vinegar), an herb (dill, parsley, mint, or cilantro), a spice (cumin is my favorite on beets), salt and pepper, and some type of onion (red or white onions, or scallions, or even shallots).  Really, the options are endless.  

I start by salting the beets and coating them with just a little bit of good olive oil.  Then I add a generous amount of acid (today it was fresh lemon juice), followed by some thinly sliced onion (scallions in this version), and a good handful of chopped herbs (I used Italian flat leaf parsley).  Next, I combine everything so that it's pleasing to the eye, reserving a pinch of the parsley for the top.  Finally, I sprinkle on a tiny bit of cumin, which is a great compliment to the "dirt" flavor of the beets, and some black pepper.  Served room temperature or cold, the beets make for a delicious salad, side dish, or green salad addition.                         

Last week I made red beets.  They were equally delicious and featured thinly sliced red onion and radishes, fresh dill, and red wine vinegar.