How the heck do you cook a beet?
Posted by secondbase on Jul 27, 2007 · Member since Dec 2005 · 5540 posts
I grew up in a very unhealthy household and we usually just had green beans, broccoli or aparagus when it came to veggies. I recently discovered that I love beets. I am just not sure how to prepare them! Is it easier to use canned beets? I would much prefer fresh if it's not a huge hassle, but this beet sitting in front of me is scary looking.
Just cut the leafy part off (leaving about an inch or two of the stem because otherwise it will "bleed" and all of the nice beet juice will cook out), then boil until tender or you could slice it up and roast it with some carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.
To add to kbuettne's post...
Boil your beets until they are fork tender, but don't keep poking them, if that makes any sense or they will bleed. I test mine with a very thin knife. Once cooked, put them in some cold water so you can just handle them. At that point, the peels should slip off in your fingers. You don't peel them before you cook them, unless you mean to roast them.
Myself, I get the whole beets, snip the greens off as kbuettne suggested, then boil the beets. I peel them, dice them and saute in a bit of vegan margarine, then I use the kitchen scissors and make the greens into ribbons, putting them right in with the sauting beets and toss until the greens wilt a little and are bright green. A little salt and pepper, and I like that for a meal.
Wow, didn't know there was such a process to beets, they are quite tasty!
roasting beets and carrots w/ rosemary is my favorite.
although i have a question. the last 2 times i've purchased beets, i've kept them in the fridge for a few days but then they get a bit soft. why? is the fridge too cold? they're still ok to use, right?
thanks.
I just peel em and let em bleed. They microwave well if you are into that microwave thang... once peeled and diced.
I like them shredded and raw or just-heated-through, too. With lime juice and herbs, and cracked pepper, on rice, oh heaven! And they're good tucked into wraps raw.
You can also boil them for about 10 minutes, cool them enough to handle, slice them, brush them with a little olive oil, and slap 'em on a grill. Pretty d*mn tasty! If you like grilled things, that is...
from http://www.whfoods.org
"Tips for Preparing Beets:
Cook beets lightly. Studies show beets' anti-cancer activity is diminished by heat.
Don't peel beets until after cooking. When bruised or pierced, beets bleed, losing some of their vibrant color and turning a duller brownish red. To minimize bleeding, wash beets gently under cool running water, taking care not to tear the skin since this tough outer layer helps keep most of beets' pigments inside the vegetable. To prevent bleeding when boiling beets, leave them whole with their root ends and one inch of stem attached.
Beets' color can be modified during cooking. Adding an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or vinegar will brighten the color while an alkaline substance such as baking soda will often cause them to turn a deeper purple. Salt will blunt beets' color, so add only at the end of cooking if needed.
If your hands become stained during the cleaning and cooking process, simply rubbing some lemon juice on them will remove the stain. "
...also, smaller beets are more tender than large ones. mmm, I love beets!
mmmm, I love beets :)
secondbase, do you like pickled beets? I think that is my favourite way to eat them. Sure, it's time consuming to prepare pickled beets & then you have to wait 6 weeks before opening a jar but it is SO worth it.
Do not, repeat, do NOT waste your beet greens!! They are a valuable source of iron and vitamins and make beautiful soup!! You can make soup with turnip and radish greens as well but I find them to be a bit sharp. You can cook beet greens like spinach, too.
I need to check and see if I posted my recipe for greens-soup and if I haven't I will.
i don't know about cooking, but one of my favorite salads is grated beets and carrots with raw sesame tahini. you grate the beets and carrots and set them aside, then you put the tahini in a bowl, and a lot of freshly chopped garlic, a little sea salt, a little lemon juice, and some fresh ground pepper. let it sit for about 20 minutes, then toss with the beets and carrots. it reminds me of a raw alfredo, and to really get that effect, add some small chunks of marinated portobella.
ps-don't waste the greens either, steam them with some braggs, ac vinegar, chopped garlic, lemon juice, pinenuts, and a touch of hot pepper sauce and olive oil, and the results are heavenly!
Oh man... I have the greatest beet recipe in the WOILD at home, sitting in a dog eared cookbook. I'll find it and post it here at a later date...
What makes it so great?
Two words: miso-tahini sauce.
Or is that three, even with the hyphen? Counting, you are forever my bane...
Okay, here goes, courtesy of 'The Vegan Gourmet' by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler aand Mindy Toomay. Not the greatest cookbook, but, it does have this recipe (paraphrased by me):
2 lbs. beets w/greens
1 1/4 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
2 1/2 cups water
Pinch of salt
Several grind of black pepper
4 green onions, minced
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons miso
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup hot water
1 clove of garlic, minced
Dash (or two or three...) of cayenne
1) Trim greens from beets and set them aside. Rinse the beets thoroughly and steam them covered for about 25 minutes. When they are good and tender,remove them and set them aside.
2) While beets are steaming, put bulgur wheat in a med. saucepan over high heat. stir and roast for a couple of minutes. Stir in 2/12 cups of water, salt, pepper and green onions. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover the pan and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand covered for another 5 minutes.
3)In a small bowl, mash tahini and miso together with a fork. Add lemon juice and blend it in. Gradually add 1/2 cup of hot water, mixing as you go. Then stir in garlic and cayenne. Set aside.
4) Wash beet greens, but don't dry them, and tear them into bite size pieces. Put the leaves in a small saucepan, cover and cook over medium heat for about five minutes, until wilted. Drain if need be.
5) When beets are cool enough, slip off skins (or don't) and slice them into rounds.
To serve, pile up the bulgur, top with beats, drizzle on some sauce and top with greens.
It's a favorite in my household. Hope you enjoy it!
You guys are making me wanna go buy some beets! :)
from http://www.whfoods.org
"Tips for Preparing Beets:
Cook beets lightly. Studies show beets' anti-cancer activity is diminished by heat.
Don't peel beets until after cooking. When bruised or pierced, beets bleed, losing some of their vibrant color and turning a duller brownish red. To minimize bleeding, wash beets gently under cool running water, taking care not to tear the skin since this tough outer layer helps keep most of beets' pigments inside the vegetable. To prevent bleeding when boiling beets, leave them whole with their root ends and one inch of stem attached.
With apologies to Shylock and Wm Shakespeare: "Hath not a beet greens? Hath not a beet roots? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you bruise us, do we not change colour?" ;D ::) :D
I've been reading "The Merchant of Venice" too long and too late.
Is that why in sooth thou art so sad?
Is that why in sooth thou art so sad?
In sooth I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me, I know it wearies you...Then let's say I am sad because I am not merry. ;D
What?!?! You egg!
(Yeah, yeah.. I know. Wrong play.) 8)
AIS, you crack me up! (Even more than usually I am cracked! ;))
What play is that? Sounds like Godot... ;D ;D
MacBeth, actually. ;D
I have some beets in my garden that look like they are ready for the picking. I like julienning them, quickly sauteing and putting them on my sandwiches or salads. I love borscht, that may be a good use for them.
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