In Season: Beets
Don't be afraid of beets. While some of us may only know them as the star vegetable band on Doug, they have a deliciously natural sweetness and the vibrant colors render the flesh almost jewel-like.
Some home cooks shy away from beets due to their tendency to stain, or some confusion about how to use the beet roots--but it's a crime to not take advantage while they're available fresh. There are more colors out there than the standard purple variety, so pick up a medley next time you're at the store and play around.
Choose round and firm beets with a smooth outer texture. The beetroot should look fresh and leafy as well. Wear gloves if you're afraid of staining or just go barehanded if you don't mind a bit of purple hand syndrome (conversation starter, anyone?).
After the jump, beets beyond the standard goat cheese pairing.
Beet Recipes
- Red and Green Mash
- Roasted Beet Bruschetta
- Elaine's Clear Vegetarian Borscht
- Mark Bittman's Raw Beet Salad
- Beet Rosti
- Roasted Beet and Cucumber Salad
- Red Flannel Hash
- Crunchy Raw Beetroot Salad with Feta and Pear
Do you have any beetastic ideas for us?
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13 Comments:
i made this on a hot day, and it was fantastic. but instead of buying the prepackaged cooked ones, i used beets from the greenmarket and roasted them in foil in my toaster oven, and then grated them.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E4D71531F93AA15754C0A96F9C8B63
cybercita at 12:04PM on 09/05/09
Had some the other night diced and sauteed with some parsnips and a little garlic butter. Was delish
Seina at 12:07PM on 09/05/09
Last season I made a red beet risotto with some real sharp cheddar cheese. It was very good and had a gorgeous color. I love beets!
Cant wait until I get some pickled. Maybe I will go do that today.
sousvide at 1:42PM on 09/05/09
i just wanted to comment that in Australia, it is common to find beet or Beetroot as they call it- on hamburgers!! I was shocked at first, but now love it and will always have it. A visiting friend from the states also loved it and sneeks them on to burgers for his children so they get another vegetable-try it-use the canned ones- pickled or plain
yankeedownunder at 4:29PM on 09/05/09
I've made the beet rosti, and it's wonderful. Thanks for more ideas on what to do with these wonderful orbs.
chanterelle at 12:02AM on 09/06/09
Awww, Doug reference!! Grace, you get super duper points!
marchpane at 8:54AM on 09/06/09
These beets look seriously good. Made a beet salad the other day with a chocolate mole type of dressing. Purely experimental but it turned out...edible.
chocolateaddict at 11:24AM on 09/06/09
I just made some yesterday fresh from the garden. Golden and a few red beets.
Washed, quartered and roasted in a 375 oven proof pan covered in foil.
This time I added an apple sliced in eights, and a few cloves of garlic.
Toss everything with oil, salt and pepper and any herb you like.
Cover and roast for about 45 mins to an hour or until tender.
Grifola frondosa at 3:46PM on 09/06/09
beets, beets -- how do i love thee? let me count the many ways.....roasted, steamed or eaten raw... juiced, any which way is good. as long as thy are not out of a can..... beets are my true love.
pooch at 6:57PM on 09/06/09
I try to roast about 4 or 5 beets at a time per week. Drop a clove of garlic in with the rinsed and scrubbed beets in foil, some olive oil, S&P, some various herbs (whatever I have fresh) and then roast @ 375 for an hour. Let cool and the skins slip right off. I can take the leftover oil/juice/garlic/herbs in the foil, add some balsamic and have a ready-made dressing.
I then take the roasted beets and add them to salads, add different cheeses, make panzanella salads, bruschettas, soups, etc.
The one thing I haven't gotten into the habit of using are the beet greens. Any suggestions?
lcbeec at 10:15AM on 09/07/09
Mixing in a hardboiled egg or two with some roasted beets is a fast way to make them a little more filling--an old boss of mine suggested it as it's apparently a classic way to prepare beets in Argentina (if I recall correctly--I might be wrong).
ElizabethS at 2:04PM on 09/07/09
Love the Doug reference! I now have that funny, simple theme song stuck in my head.
Recipes look fantastic!
yayfood at 8:30PM on 09/07/09
great picture selection Grace Kang,
hungrychristel at 10:04AM on 09/08/09