PAN-BRAISED BEETS WITH PISTACHIO PESTO

You can use large, round beets cut into thick slices or smaller beets, quartered, for this recipe. Either way, arranged on a large platter and dotted or spread with the thick green pistachio pesto, they are beautiful to behold.

Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

2	bunches medium beets, preferably with leafy green tops attached (about 1½ pounds)
2	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pistachio Pesto

¼	cup shelled and skinned pistachios, toasted
1	garlic clove, coarsely chopped
½	teaspoon coarse salt
1	cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
2	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2	tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

	Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼	cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves, for garnish

1. Cut the leafy tops from the beets and set aside for another use (see opposite page). Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler if the skins are thick. Cut large beets into ½-inch rounds or quarter small ones. Place in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the beets are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 12 minutes, depending on the density of the beets. Check the moisture level in the pan halfway through the cooking time and add 1 to 2 tablespoons water if needed.
2. To make the pesto by hand: Combine the pistachios, garlic and salt in a large mortar and pound with the pestle until finely crushed. Add half of the basil and pound until reduced to a coarse paste. Repeat with the remaining basil. Gradually add the oil, stirring with the pestle. Stir in the cheese and set aside. To make the pesto in a food processor: Finely chop the pistachios, garlic and salt. With the motor running, gradually add the basil and process to a coarse puree. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the cheese. You should have about ½ cup pesto.
3. When the beets are tender, uncover, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and lightly sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Arrange the beets on a platter and top each with a dollop of the pesto. Sprinkle with the torn basil leaves and serve.

Preparing Beets
Use a serrated vegetable peeler to remove the thick outside skin from mature beets. Young beets with thin skins need only a quick scrub with a vegetable brush and a rinse. To shred beets: Cut the beets into big chunks and push them through the feed tube of a food processor fitted with the wide shredding attachment or leave the beets whole and shred on the wide shredding side of a box grater. Your hands will turn purple, but if you wash them immediately with soap and hot water and rub stubborn spots with a wedge of lemon, the stains will fade.

Using Beet Greens
I always try to buy beets with greens, because they are fresher. I never discard the greens, even if I don't intend to eat them right away. I rinse and store them for a couple of days in a zip-top plastic bag until I have the 10 minutes required to braise them (see [>]). When they are cooked, I often cool and freeze them for later use. They are delicious simply sautéed with oil and garlic and served on toasted bread as a side dish, mounded in a soup bowl before ladling in the soup or placed in a tangle on top of a bowl of hot cannellini beans or lentils. I especially like the tangy taste of beet greens with a splash of balsamic or other well-aged vinegar, a spoonful of plain nonfat yogurt or a squirt of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkling of chopped fresh dill or served with a topping of crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese or shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.

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Make a Meal

Serve with beet greens splashed with fruit vinegar (see Using Beet Greens, right) and Curried Sweet Potato Wedges ([>]; omit the yogurt sauce).

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