Beets, like many other winter crops, sweeten in cold weather. In addition to their blossoming flavor, cold weather also results in perky greens that are mild with an earthy sweetness. You’ll find the best at local farmstands and farmers markets. Like the root, the greens deserve a place on your plate, not the compost bin.
There are myriad ways to make use of every bit of a beet, save its thin skin, offering an opportunity to put sustainability on your table. Potato-beet-green soup is delicious topped with a relish of beets, cucumbers, celery, and walnuts; beet risotto on a bed of braised beet greens is much more pleasing than risotto alone.
If you think you don’t care for beets, it may be that you have only had red ones, which can have an overpowering flavor, especially if canned, boiled, or steamed, techniques that make certain challenging flavors stronger. Other varieties, especially golden beets, Chioggia beets, and hard-to-find white beets, are milder. Roasting concentrates flavors and keeps them in balance.
Beets are packed with both micro- and macronutrients, including fiber, calcium, vitamin C, folate, potassium, and magnesium. There is some variation between varieties, but not a substantial amount.
Select beets based on taste. Golden beets are the best place to start, as their flavors are delicate and subtle.
Roasted Beet Salad on a Bed of Wilted Beet Greens
Serves 2
4 small to medium beets, a single variety or a mix of varieties, with pert greens
Olive oil
1 shallot, minced
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 medium lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons olio nuovo or extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Use a sharp knife to cut the greens from the beets, leaving an inch or so of the stems still attached to the root; set the greens aside.
Put the beets in a small bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and turn the beets to coat them lightly with the oil. Place on a small baking sheet and cook in the oven until tender when pierced with a fork or bamboo skewer. It will take from about 25 to 60 minutes, based on variety, size, and age of the beets; younger beets will cook more quickly because of their higher moisture content. Remove from the oven and let cool until easy to handle.
While the beets cook, put the shallot into a small bowl, season with salt, and add about half the lemon juice. Set aside.
Trim the greens, removing the tough stems and dicing them.
Pour a little olive oil into a small sauté pan set over medium-low heat. Add the diced stems, sauté for about 3 minutes, add the garlic, sauté 1 minute more, and add the beet greens. Pour in the remaining lemon juice, cover the pan, and cook gently for about 7 minutes, until the greens are wilted and tender. Season with salt, remove from the heat, cover, and keep warm.
When the beets have cooled sufficiently, use your fingers to remove the skins. Cut each beet into 4 to 6 wedges.
Divide the greens between two plates, reheating them if they have cooled. Scatter the beets on top of the greens.
Add the olio nuovo or extra-virgin olive oil to the shallot mixture, taste, correct for salt, and season generously with black pepper. Spoon over the beets and greens and enjoy right away.