Dressed Beets with Spring Onion

It's hard to believe that we are now just weeks away from rhubarb, strawberries, and the start of CSA distributions and farmers markets in New England. In preparation for this season, I'm exploring cookbooks, websites (the farm already has some great ideas, too), and just generally keeping my eyes peeled for healthy new recipes and ideas to share with you in the months ahead. Considering beets and spring onions are some of the earlier crops to be harvested, I thought it would be nice to share with you this simple preparation for roasted beets. Delicious on a salad or sauteed greens (how about those from the beets themselves?), sweet and tender beets tossed in a tangy vinaigrette are great served cold or hot. With all the beets that I frequently pick out for my weekly share, I predict I'll be making these, along with many a slaw and salad, for those hot and humid lunches on the farm.

Dressed Beets with Spring Onion
Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 medium beets (about 2 lbs, roots only)
• olive oil to drizzle
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp maple syrup (optional)
• 1/4 cup oil (I used walnut oil)
• 1-2 small spring onions, thinly-sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the beets, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and wrap in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped beets in a baking dish and roast until tender throughout, about 45-60 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes or until you can handle them.

While waiting for the beets to cool, slice the onion or scallion, separating the white from green pieces, and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegars, mustard, sugar (optional), oil, and salt until well combined.

Using clean hands, rub off the beets' skin (tough spots can be removed with a peeler). Slice the beets in half and then again into 1/4"-thick half-rounds or smaller; transfer to a deep bowl. Add the white parts of the onion and dressing, tossing or mixing with a rubber spatula to coat evenly. The dish can be served immediately but tastes even better when allowed to marinate for another 12-24 hours in the fridge. When ready to serve, sprinkle with the green parts of the onion. Consume within 5-7 days.

Dressed beets atop a bed of spring mix with red quinoa and goat cheese (a sprinkle of feta, sunflowers seeds, and balsamic vinegar were added after this picture was taken to make for an awesome lunch.)


Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2011-2012).

Vegetarian Borscht

Borscht is popular soup of Eastern and Central Europe. Served both hot and cold, the term "borscht" is used for several varieties of beet-based soups; most traditional recipes include ingredients such as cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and/or beef, in addition to beets. The recipe below is a vegetarian* take on this classic soup. We recommend serving it with a dark bread such as rye or pumpernickel and a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt.

*Make this dish vegan by replacing the butter with olive oil and omitting the sour cream/yogurt garnish.

The Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp butter
• 3 medium onions, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed & minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
  
• 2 tbsp dried fenugreek, chopped
  
• 2-3 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, one diced, one sliced into rounds
• 2-3 cups beets, small or medium sized, peeled & sliced
• 1 cup potato, sliced or diced
• 1 cup turnips, peeled & sliced
  
• 1 small cabbage, sliced into ribbons
• 6 cups of vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
  
• 4 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  
• Salt, according to taste (at least 1 tsp)

How to Make it:

Prepare all produce and ingredients as instructed. In a large pot over medium heat, melt your butter and add your onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, fenugreek, celery, diced carrots, and a sprinkle of salt; saute this mixture for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Next, add your beets, potato, carrot slices, turnips, and another sprinkle of salt; saute this mixture for 20-25 minutes or until the root vegetables are slightly soft. Add your vegetable stock and bring to a boil; reduce the heat and add your vinegar, dill, cabbage, and salt to taste and simmer for 20-25 minutes. You can enjoy this soup immediately but the flavor really develops a day or so after its original preparation! Consume within a week.


Media (text and images) created and published by Rebekah Carter 2010.

Autumn Harvest Salad

As the farmers market season draws to a close in New England, there's still time to take advantage of the local produce available during the mid-autumn season, including greens, beets, and apples. For the fall-inspired salad below, try out a combination of local greens, such as arugula, green and red baby lettuces, spinach, pea tendrils, and beet greens. This salad is gluten-free and vegetarian.

The Ingredients:

• various greens
  
• beets, small to medium size, with greens
  
• apples or pears
  
• walnuts or pecans, chopped
  
• goat cheese
• dressing (recipe suggestion below)

How to Make it:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off beet greens, leaving 1-2 inches of stem attached to the beets; put the greens aside for the salad. Under cold running water, scrub the beets to remove as much dirt as possible. Pat them dry and wrap each beet in aluminum foil, leaving the stems exposed. Spread the beets apart on a baking sheet or pan and roast until you can easily stick a fork through them; for small beets, this is about 30-40 minutes, while medium beets will need about 45-60 minutes. Avoid using large beets as they are typically more fibrous and lack flavor compared to smaller sizes.

While roasting the beets, wash your greens and allow to air dry in a colander. If your greens are looking a bit "tired," an easy way to perk them up is short soak in ice-cold water. Wash your apple(s), pat dry, and slice according to your preference (thin or thick slices). If you are working with whole nuts, coarsely chop them. Using clean fingers or a knife, break apart or chop the goat cheese into crumbles; using a knife is suggested as the goat cheese may stick to your warm fingers more than it will break apart!

When the beets are done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the foil; with your fingers, rub the skins and stems so that they easily peel off the vegetables. Slice or chop the beets to your preferred thickness. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl, toss with dressing, and serve. For a more delicate appearance (as shown), individually place each ingredient on your greens and drizzle with dressing.

To make a simple Balsamic Vinaigrette:

Whisk 1 part balsamic vinegar to 3 parts olive oil (i.e. if you are making 1 cup of dressing, use 1/4 cup of vinegar to 3/4 cup of oil). Add a small dollop of dijon mustard and sweetener (agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup work well) and some salt according to your taste. Whisk again, then use immediately or store. For extra zest and flavor, add some minced garlic or onion to the dressing.

It tastes good, but is it healthy?

In terms of health, this salad is packed full of nutritional goodness: the greens provide fiber, vitamins A and K; the walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, protein, some B vitamins, and several minerals; apples provide both soluble and insoluble fiber and vitamin C; beets provide folate (a B vitamin) and fiber; the goat cheese contains protein and calcium; and the dressing is a good source of health-promoting monounsaturated fat as well as vitamins E and K.

You can see the soluble (the flesh) and insoluble (the skin) fibers of this apple. Soluble fiber dissolves in water while insoluble fiber does not. Both types of fiber are essential to a healthy diet. Insoluble fiber aids colonic digestion (click to see post) while soluble fiber improves blood glucose regulation and removes cholesterol from the body.

Media (text and images) created and published by Rebekah Carter (2010)