I love beets. Ideas?

[jkath]

a great way to have little girls try beets when they're little - cook them in a bit of butter and serve over pasta. You'll have "Barbie" noodles. Of course, I have sons, so they just eat them plain.

 

[Robo410]

it is amazing how good roasted beets are with pasta and a spicy red sauce and goat cheese. (served on the side) for the meat serve chunks of char broiled lamb. this combination is fantastic.

 

[QSis]

mmmm Robo, that meal sounds fabulous!

How do you do the beets? I assume that they are fresh? Details, please!

Lee

 

[Constance]

I love beets...I used to grow them back when I was the super gardener/canner.
I enjoy cooking them, too...they are so cool. You just boil them until they're crisp/tender, drain, and put in a pan of cold water. The skins slip right off. If you don't want to stain your hands, use latex gloves.

If you check out the canning section, I posted a very good pickled beet recipe. Back when I made them, I didn't have 2 nickels to rub together, so I made them without the mixed pickling spice, which was quite expensive. I don't think it adds all that much.
I can eat the plain sliced ones, too, but I've never tasted some of these fancy ways you all are talking about. The sour cream and horseradish sure sounds good. I might even get HB to try one of those.

I have a friend who makes borscht. It really sounds yucky to me, but I'd try it once. Have any of you all ever eaten it?

 

[Ishbel]

Another way I like them is scrubbed, topped and tailed (only use smaller ones) and then put in a foil parcel with a good glug of EVOO and freshly ground salt and pepper, together with the zest from a good sized orange. Cook until the beetroots are soft and then peel and serve as a side veg.

 

[Robo410]

I trim the tops and scrub em, pop em in a baking dish with 1/2 cp water cover with foil and roast for 1 hr at 350*F. I peel them with a knife (skin comes right off) squeeze fresh orange juice on them, a little salt and pepper and fresh dill and wow! bright fresh flavor, great with meats and stews,even a pasta and red sauce...great with goat cheese. well worth the time. much better than canned or jarred I think.

 

[Piccolina]

I've found that fresh or cooked beets are excellent with apples, peaches and pears. They also seem to have an way with hard cheeses and are surprisingly good with fennel. Roasted beets (perhaps as part of a mixed pan of root veggies) with a drizzle of olive oil, some fresh herbs and a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper make a nice accompaniment to meat dishes like roast beef or game.

 

[mish]

... they are too much of a pain to prepare fresh.

I actually think canned beets are pretty darned good, but I rarely think of getting them. When I do, I just heat them up in a pan, drain, then mix them with a little butter and balsamic vinegar.

Anyone have any other ideas? They are SO good for you!

Lee

I'm with you, Lee. Glad to see this topic come to the top again. Don't know why I don't buy them more often, as I always head for the beets at the salad bar. The plate I put together - cottage cheese, beets, garbanzos, cherry tomatoes, raw broccoli, and sometimes some cold macaroni salad. Weird combo, I know.

In one of my homemade pasta books, beet juice is incorparated into the dough. The color is lovely - wish I could show you a pic. Haven't tried it yet, though.

Some time ago, I posted a recipe called B-O-R-S-C-H-T. You can probably find it in a search here.

Since I prefer beets cold, I may try topping a cold macaroni or potato salad with shredded beets. (Not wild about hard-boiled eggs, but that could be another addition.) Beet pancakes?

Here's a link with lots of Beet recipes. (The beet fettuccine with caviar looks to-die-for. Bring on the sour cream.):

http://www.justvegetablerecipes.com/inxbet.html