WEEK 37: YOUR BEST BEETS

French “Peasant” Beets

Photography by Sarah Shatz

    BY AMY N-B | SERVES 2 AS AN ENTRÉE, 4 AS A SIDE DISH

A&M: When Amy N-B told her husband that she came up with this dish as an homage to a simple French peasant dinner, he teased her: “What peasants eat Bucheron cheese and drink Muscadet with their beets?” “Um, French ones?” Well, in our next life, we’d like to be French peasants, or at least eat like them. We have a soft spot for beet recipes that utilize both the sweet root and minerally tops. Here, Amy N-B has you caramelize slices of yellow and red beets (we used four large beets total; might do three next time) and then add a mix of beet tops and Swiss chard, cooking them just enough to wilt. You’ll love the dish at this point, but you’ll be riveted if you serve it with a soft Bucheron and good country bread.

    4 to 6 beets with greens (I like a mixture of golden and red beets)

    1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and dried

    3 tablespoons unsalted butter

    1 shallot, minced

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    2 tablespoons white wine (Muscadet is my preference)

    ½ pound Bucheron (at room temperature), cut into 4 wedges

    Crusty peasant-style bread (warmed in the oven)

1. Scrub and peel the beets. Remove the greens, wash and dry them, and chop coarsely. Set the greens aside in a large prep bowl. Slice the beets into ¼-inch rounds.
2. Remove the ribs from the Swiss chard and coarsely chop the ribs. Toss the leaves and ribs into the bowl with the beet greens.
3. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and sauté the shallot over medium heat until softened.
4. Add the beet rounds to the shallot-butter mixture. Toss in a pinch of salt and crack some pepper over the beets. Reduce the heat and sauté the beets, turning to ensure even cooking, until the beets are beginning to glaze and become tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Add the beet greens, chard, and chard ribs and sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the wine and cover. Cook until the greens are wilted, adding 2 tablespoons water if necessary. Allow the liquid to be mostly absorbed into the greens. Adjust the seasonings.
6. Scoop the greens and beets into a shallow bowl. Serve with a generous wedge of Bucheron and some crusty bread. Crack a little bit of pepper over the entire dish.

Photography by Sarah Shatz

    TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

    To find the right cheese, Amy N-B said: “Nice grocery stores (such as Wegmans and Whole Foods) usually have it, and any good cheese counter should have it. It can be spelled Boucheron, Bucherondin, or Boucherondin. All will do the trick.”

    ABOUT THE COOK

    Amy Nichols-Belo is a cultural anthropologist from Richmond, Virginia.

        Her favorite entertaining tip: “When hosting an event where guests will be contributing dishes or beverages, provide a theme (tapas, sixties hors d’oeuvre, Latin) to avoid a meal that’s more ‘church basement potluck’ than party.”

        Here’s her blog: Amy Cooks and Brad Does the Dishes (www.amycooksbraddoesthedishes.blogspot.com).

    WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID

    deensiebat: “Made this last night and loved it. I had fallen into a rut of always making beets the same way—wedges parboiled, then roasted, greens reserved for later. Nice to have a new all-in-one method, with a sweet result.”

        romano like the cheese: “Droplets of good balsamic vinegar on top set this dish up from good to really good!!”