Brilliant Beets!

Beets are a real gem! Red beets' intense color tells you they are loaded with antioxidants. They also contain lots of fiber and potassium. Golden beets contain lots of lutein. Their earthy flavor needs to be balanced with fat and something acidic. 

Beets belong to the Amaranth Botanical Family along with Swiss Chard. According to UC Davis, “Although domestication of beet as a leafy vegetable and root crop took place in prehistoric times, sugar beet is a relatively new crop plant. The European beet sugar industry was able to develop once the technology to measure sucrose concentration in solution was discovered, and the spread of this industry was accelerated by increased demand for beet sugar caused by the British blockade of continental Europe in the early 19th century. Starting in France and Germany, the beet sugar industry spread throughout Europe to North and South America, Asia, and North Africa. About 35% of global sugar production and 50-55% of domestic (U.S.) sugar production comes from sugar beet, equating to about 8.4 million metric tons (4).” 

It’s such a bonus when we can get beets with their greens, which are also edible and delicious! Add them chopped to your salads or saute and finish with some balsamic vinegar. And the beet skin is so thin right now, there is NO NEED TO PEEL them. I cut off the root and the leaves with my kitchen scissors, wash off the dirt, rubbing with my hands, then boil them whole so I don’t lose that gorgeous color in the water. I slice them after cooking. 

Beets make a great meat and fish substitute. I’ve used thick beet slices in a sandwich, and cubes of beet in place of raw tuna in the Hawaiian dish, Poke. Beets love soy sauce, goat cheese and bright acidic flavors, like lemon juice and vinegar. 

This week I’m sharing a collection of fun flavor combos for beets from Food & Wine.

Enjoy! See you at the Doylestown Farmers Market this Saturday from 8am to 1pm!