Beet Greens are the leafy greens attached to the beetroot. These are closely related to chard and often mistaken for it; you can treat them identically. Both the stems and the leaves are edible; young and very tender ones can be tossed into salads, while tougher leaves and stems must be cooked.
Buying and storing: Most often beet greens are available only when attached to the root. Look for greens that are fresh looking, vibrantly colored, and not wilted. Remove the greens from the root and store wrapped loosely in plastic in the refrigerator; use as soon as possible.
While preparing wash the greens well. Leave small leaves whole and chop or tear larger ones into strips or pieces. Best cooking methods for greens would be steaming and braising. The beets are cooked when they are wilted and tender Other vegetables to substitute with could beChard (often called Swiss chard ) or turnip greens. Beets come in a beautiful array of colors—from dark red to golden yellow to striped—sizes, and shapes, from the familiar round to long and from thin to tiny. They’re all wonderful, and the beet’s sweet and earthy flavor is just as good served cold or room temperature as it is hot. Additionally, raw beets stay for weeks in the fridge and for several days once cooked. If staining from the vibrantly colored juices is the only thing keeping you from cooking beets, check out the preparation tips that follow, especially Beets Baked in Foil
Buying and storing: Unlike most root vegetables, size does not matter when it comes to beets; large ones are usually just as good as small, and they are easier to handle. One sure sign of freshness is the presence of the greens (which are edible and lovely); if they are fresh looking, the roots are fresh too. Beets should be nearly rock hard when you buy them; avoid any that are soft. Remove all but an inch of the greens (cook the greens as soon as you can) and store the roots wrapped loosely in plastic in the refrigerator. They keep for weeks.
Preparing: Scrub well; leave on an inch or so of the greens to minimize bleeding. (Peel the beets after they have cooked). The best cooking method is baking in foil, roasting, braising and glazing. They are done when tender, pierce with a skewer or thin-bladed knife to check. Slight overcooking is usually preferable to undercooking. Other vegetables, which can act as substitutes are turnips, rutabagas, carrots or parsnips.
Beets Baked in Foil
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: About 1 hour
- This is the single best method for cooking beets. It produces beets that are firm and not at all waterlogged. It is easy, neat, and convenient. Once the beets are cooked, you can eat them or store them as it is. When you are ready, unwrap and peel them, then slice them and heat in butter or oil; eat them cold. Since large beets take longer to cook than small ones, try to buy beets that are roughly equal in size. You do not have to roast them individually wrapped. If you are planning to use them all at once, right away, just put in a roasting pan or heavy skillet, cover and proceed as directed. Other vegetables you can use with it are turnips, rutabagas, or other root vegetables.
- Take four large or eight medium beets, about 11/2 to 2 pounds and heat the oven to 400°F. Wash the beets well. Wrap each of them in a foil and place on a roasting pan. Bake it for another 90 minutes until a thin knife pierces one with little resistance. They may cook at different rates; remove each one when it is done. Use in ‘Precooked Vegetables in Butter or Oil’ or any of the variations on ‘Beets Done Simply’ or other recipes that call for cooked beets. You can also store or refrigerated for a couple of days before using.
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