Take beets beyond the traditional borscht – try steaming, boiling and shredding beets for a new taste sensation. Perhaps the most traditional way to use beets is in borscht, a popular dish in Poland and Russia, usually served with beef and cabbage and sometimes with spicy-hot horseradish.
Besides the storage beets normally used for this dish, you may find fresh, young beets suitable for steaming and boiling and wonderful served with butter and salt or salads.
Beets combine well with many herbs: basil, dill, rosemary, horseradish and chives, to name a few.
Selection and Storage
Select firm, smooth-skinned, small beets with deep-green, fresh leaves: they will be the most tender.
Try to get ones the same size, so they will require the same length of cooking time.
To store, cut off tops, leaving 1 to 2 inches of stem attached. Do not trim roots, as this will cause bleeding.
Store unwashed leaves and beets in separate plastic bags and refrigerate up to 1 week.
Preparation and Eating Tips
Wash the roots gently, so as to not tear the skin. Do not peel or cut off root or stem end because the beets will bleed.
Cook whole. Boil or steam young beets for approximately 1/2 hour, or older beets for
up to 2 hours, until tender.
Cool and remove skin under running water; slice and serve with herbs and butter, toss in a salad or in any recipe that calls for cooked beets.
Try raw beets shredded and tossed with vinaigrette, shredded celeriac and chopped parsley.
CHILLED STUFFED BEETS – 45 minutes
Perfect for that light meal-prepare beforehand and serve with fresh sliced ham and bread.
6 medium beets, cooked following preparation tips
1 cup English peas, cooked and drained
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
1.Cool beets in water; drain. Trim off stems and roots, skins should slide off easily. Cut the top off of each beet, then scoop out the pulp with a melon ball tool. Chill beets.
2. Chop the beet pulp and combine with the rest of the ingredients; salt and pepper to taste. Toss well and chill.
3. Just before serving, fill beets with mixture.
Yields 6 servings.
Nutrient Analysis per serving:
Calories-60
Fat-1 g
Protein-2 g
Carbohydrates-9 g
Dietary Fiber-3 g
