Varieties: There are numerous varieties. Common Beets (for consumption and for food coloring), Golden Beets, White Beets, Chiogga (otherwise known as Candy Cane due to its white and red marbling color), Sugar Beets (used for sugar production and fermentation), and Mangold (mainly for fodder) are some of the most popular.
How to select: Beet season is June through October. Choose beets that are 1.5–3 inches in diameter. At least a half-inch of the beet greens should be attached. The greens, if present, should be bright, dark green, and healthy. The beets should be smooth and round with a deep color.
Avoid beets with bruises, with soft and moist spots, and ones that are light for their size. Larger beets will contain woody centers. Also, avoid yellowish greens.
Storage: Remove the greens, and leave 1/2-inch attached. The greens tend to draw moisture from the beets. Leaving some greens behind will prevent the beets from leaking. Store beets unwashed in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
To store the greens, remove them from the beets (leaving 1/2-inch attached) in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Nutritional Qualities: Beets have folic acid, potassium, and manganese. They help rid the body of fatty deposits. Beets are low in calories, despite being the vegetable with the highest sugar content.
The greens contain calcium, iron, beta-carotene, and anti-cancer agents. The greens also contain oxalic acid, which prevents the body from absorbing calcium and iron. Do not eat a lot of beet greens as the oxalic acid can be toxic in high doses.
Tips: Betalain is the red compound in beets. To maintain beets' deep red color when cooking, create an acidic environment by using lemon juice or vinegar. If not, the beets' color will shift to a more violet color.
Due to beets' deep magenta color, they can stain anything. To remove beet juice from clothing, use white bread soaked in water, placing it on the stained area. If necessary, use more soaked white bread and continue until no further beet juice comes out of the stained area.
Rinse the item in cold water. Then, using a stain remover, apply to the area and scrub with a toothbrush. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. Soak the item for 30 minutes in cold water and a color-safe bleach solution. Wash as you would regularly. If this does not remove the stain, do not dry in the dryer. Begin the process again from the stain remover step.
Wine Pairings: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Tempranillo, Burgundy, Chianti Classico, Barbaresco, Bordeaux.
Flavor Affinities: Anise seeds, basil, caraway seeds, chives, cinnamon, cloves, coriander (ground), dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, goat cheese, herring, horseradish, mace, mustard, orange, parsley, potatoes, savory, sour cream, spinach, tarragon, vinegar, and yogurt.
Equivalencies:
Beets: 1 pound trimmed = 2 cups chopped or sliced and cooked
Greens: 1 pound fresh = 1 1/3 to 2 cups cooked
Preparation: To prepare beets, remove the greens but leave 1/2-inch attached to the beet. Wash very carefully, so as not to remove the skin. Beets can be boiled, baked, roasted, used in soups, or used fresh in salads or sandwiches. When cooking, use a toothpick to poke the beet to test for doneness. It should be easy to insert.
To prepare the greens, remove them from the beet but leave 1/2-inch attached to the beet. Wash the greens to remove excess sand. Use fresh or cook like spinach and Swiss chard.
When boiling beets, instead of throwing away the water used in the boiling process, strain it using a coffee filter. Then, freeze the juice in ice cube trays and use as a stock for soups and stews.
Recipes
Autumn Vegetable Sandwich
Makes 2 servings
• 2 slices of panini bread, toasted
• 1 tablespoon horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 baby beet, roasted and sliced
• Several leaves of arugula
• 1 slice of red onion
• 2 slices fresh mozzarella
Spread the horseradish onto one of the slices of toast. Spread the mustard onto the other piece of toast.
Arrange the beets, onions, and mozzarella onto one of the pieces of toast. Top with some arugula and the other piece of toast.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Makes 8 servings
• 4 red potatoes, quartered
• 4 turnips, quartered
• 2 parsnips, sliced 1-inch thick
• 2 carrots, sliced 1-inch thick
• 1 yam, cut 1-inch thick
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 beets, quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rosemary, fresh
• Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Wash and cut the above vegetables into suitable sized chunks—preferably, big enough to put into one's mouth without having to cut it any further.
Let the vegetables sit on a paper towel to drain them of any excess water. Pat each piece dry. This will ensure that each piece comes out crispy.
Put all the vegetables into a Ziploc bag with the oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Zip it shut and make sure everything is coated completely with the dressing.
Place the contents into a pan, and bake for one hour. No basting is necessary.
Roasted Baby Beet Salad
Adapted from "The Swedish Kitchen" by Helene Henderson
Makes 4 servings
• 3 cups baby beets, any variety or a mix
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chives, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix the beets with the olive oil. Place them in a small baking dish and cover. Bake for 1 hour or until the beets are cooked.
Allow the beets to cool, and then peel the skin off the beets with a knife. Slice the beets thinly on a paper plate on top of a cutting board to prevent the beets from staining the cutting board.
In a small bowl, combine the beets, onions, vinegar, oil, and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the flavors to marinate for at least one hour before serving.
Serve on a bed or fresh beet greens. Top with some goat cheese and a few chopped walnuts.
Jennifer A. Wickes is a freelance food writer, recipe developer, food styler, and cookbook reviewer who lives on the East Coast. Her blog, Food Pursuit, has been one of the Best 100 Culinary Sites.
