My favorite way to cook vegetables is to grill them over fire.
I LOVE THE SURREAL COLOR OF BEETS. It is hard to imagine that their gorgeous shade—more vibrant than most flowers—develops beneath the ground. Beets’ slightly earthy, smoky, and sweet flavor goes well with fruits like cherries and blueberries.
I never peel beets. If there is dirt on them, I just scrub it off. And the parts most commonly discarded—the above-ground tops and stems—are wonderful to eat. Although they keep well in the refrigerator, over time beets become wrinkled and soft and then later wrinkled and dry. But as long as they are not covered in mold, or slimy and rotten, they are fine to eat.
MAKES 2 CUPS / TIME: 15 MIN
I purposely don’t call tops of beets the beet greens because the stems are beautifully red. Make sure you include the stems.
1 cup finely chopped beet tops
1 cup finely chopped beet stems
¼ cup blueberries, wrinkled is fine
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
In a medium bowl, toss to combine the ingredients. Do not blend.
TESTER’S NOTE:
The stems were not at all stringy, but crunchy like celery. I stuffed this inside an avocado sandwich instead of lettuce.
MAKES ABOUT ⅔ CUP; SERVES 4 / TIME: 1 HR
This dressing serves as a base flavor in Marinated Beet Tops & Stems (at right) and Dried Beets (here).
1 cup beet juice, from a home juicer or local juice or smoothie shop
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
In a small pot over low heat, simmer the beet juice for 45 minutes, until reduced by half. In a small bowl, whisk together the reduced beet juice, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.
SERVES 4 / TIME: 20 MIN
4 beet tops and stems, finely chopped
¼ cup Beet Juice Vinaigrette (at left)
Mix the chopped stems with the vinaigrette and let marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.