Simple Steamed Beets and Some Tips for Eating Them

Beets are wonderful with creamy cheese such as feta, Burrata or chevre. Nuts such as pistachio, hazelnut, walnut or pine nuts are also a great compliment. Adding a little acidity with lemon or vinegar is nice. Don't forget the sea salt and olive oil either! Beets are amazing on salads. Our current favorite is Little Gem lettuce, beets, roasted pumpkin seeds, green onions and chevre.

-Cut the tops off of 1 bunch of beets, leaving about 2 inches of stem. Reserve the tops for another use.

-Rinse the beets, then place the whole beets in a steamer with about 2 inches of water.

-Steam for about 20 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork, check the water level about half way through and add more if needed.

-Remove from heat and run under cold water until partially cool.

-Slip skins off.

-Slice the beets into wedges or rounds.

-If you are going to eat them as a side dish, dress them with a few sprinkles of Balsamic vinegar and/or lemon, some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Beets with Tzatziki

-Boil 1 bunch of beets, about 20 minutes. When cool, rub skins off and coarsely chop.

-Mix together the following in a large bowl:

1 clove chopped garlic

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

-Stir the following into the bowl:

1.5 cups plain whole milk yogurt

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp chopped fresh dill

-Season with salt and pepper to taste.

-Gently stir the beets in.

-Chill until ready to serve.

Beetroot Soup with Goat’s Cheese from Plenty by Diana Henry

-Chop the following; you are going to be pureeing all the vegetables so you don’t have to be that exact.

-2 chopped leeks

-1 fennel bulb or 4 stalks of celery, chopped into smallish pieces

-1 bunch unpeeled beets, chopped into smallish pieces

-6 cloves of garlic, chopped

-Melt 3TBS butter in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan and add in everything you just chopped up.

-Add a splash of water, cover and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes over medium low heat.

-Stir, add a little more water and sweat for another 15 minutes.

-Pour in 5 cups of chicken stock and add some salt and pepper.

-Bring to a boil and then simmer until the beetroot is tender.

-Serve hot or cold with a dollop of sour cream on top and some crumbled chevre.

-If you have any leftover cooked salmon you can add some flakes to each serving or if you have some raw salmon, you can moisten it with some olive oil and lemon juice and add some to each bowl as you serve the soup.

Beet, Radish and Sheep Milk Feta Salad with Toasted Seeds

-Wash and spin dry 1-2 heads of lettuce and tear into bite size pieces.

-Arrange the lettuce pieces on a large platter.

-Toast 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds or pine nuts on low heat until lightly browned, stirring often. Be careful not to burn!

-Cut 1 bunch of Pink Beauty radishes into thin rounds.

-Put in a glass bowl and sprinkle generously with sea salt.

-Grate the following:

2 peeled Red Ace beets

-Toss together in a bowl with the following:

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

A big pinch of Celtic sea salt

Some freshly ground black pepper

-Let stand for 5 minutes then toss again.

-Sprinkle on top of the salad.

-Top the salad with the following:

1/2 cup crumbled sheep milk feta

The toasted seeds

The salted and drained radishes.

-For the dressing add the following to a blender:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

The juice of half a lemon

1-2 artichoke hearts (we use ones from jar but not marinated)

Beet Sandwiches

We got this recipe from a neighboring CSA’s cookbook-they sound crazy but taste wonderful.

-Take the stems off a bunch of whole beets.

-Place the beets in a steamer with a lot of water and steam until soft, about 30 minutes.

-Run the beets under cold water until cool enough to handle. Slip the skins off then slice the beets into thin rounds.

-Toast several slices of bread.

-To each sandwich add some mayonnaise, some dill pickles sliced long ways, the beet rounds and some lettuce. 

Beet Salad with Feta and Sunflower Seeds

-Using a box grater or a food processor fitted with a grating blade, shred the following

1 bunch of beets

1 bunch of carrots

-Zest 1 lemon and juice it.

-In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and zest with the following:

2 tsp white wine vinegar

¼ cup finely chopped dill or cilantro

2 TBS olive oil.

-Season with salt and pepper.

-Add shredded beet/carrot mixture to bowl and toss to coat.

-Right before serving, gently toss with

½ cup feta cheese

¼ cup sunflower seeds

Beet Risotto with Walnuts and Gorgonzola Cheese

-Top and scrub clean 1 bunch of beets, leaving them whole.

-Steam them until tender, about 20-25 minutes.

-Run them under cold water, until they are cool enough to handle and then slip the skins.

-When cool, chop the beets into ¾ inch cubes.

-In a small pan bring 5 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable stock to a near boil with 1 tsp sea salt.

-In a large pan over medium heat, warm 2 TBS olive oil with 1 TBS unsalted butter.

-Finely chop and add 4 garlic cloves.

-Sauté until soft and clear, about 5 minutes.

-Add 1½-cup Arborio rice, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

-Add ½ cup stock and stir constantly until liquid is absorbed.

-Add more stock, about ¼ cup each time. It should take about 20 minutes in all, though you receive bonus points if you have the patience to take 25-30 minutes to add all of the stock.

-Before the last ladle of stock is added, stir in 4-5 oz crumbled Gorgonzola and 1/3 cup walnuts.

-After the last bit of liquid is absorbed, add the chopped beets.

-Let the risotto stand 5 minutes before serving.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

-Cut the tops off of 1 bunch of beets and save for another use.

-Put a good amount of water in a steamer and steam for 20-25 minutes over medium high heat. (You can also use a pressure cooker, which will take 7 minutes instead.)

-When the beets are tender when poked with a sharp knife, drain and run under cold water.

-When cool enough to handle, slip the skins of the beets.

For the dressing:

-In a mason jar with a lid, add the following:

3 TBS walnut oil

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

The juice of ½ a lemon

1/8 tsp salt and some freshly ground black pepper

-Cut the beets into wedges, then sprinkle with some of the dressing and toss.

-Toast ¼ cup walnut pieces in a toaster oven for 3 minutes (set the timer!) or brown them in a skillet.

-Tear 1 lettuce into small pieces.

-Gently wash and spin dry, then mound a little on each plate.

-Top with some of the beets and then the toasted walnuts.

-Crumble up about ¼ cup chevre style goat cheese and sprinkle on each salad.

-Dust with some finishing salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5-Minute Beets from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

-Take the tops off of 1 bunch of beets.

-Grate them into coarse shreds.

-Melt 1 TBS butter in a skillet then add the beets and toss them with ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste.

-Add ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the beets are tender.

-Remove the lid and taste the heat to boil off any excess water.

-Taste for salt and season with a little lemon juice or Balsamic vinegar.

-Toss with 2 TBS chopped basil.

-This dish is nice served with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.