Wed Apr 13, 2005
We've Got the Beet [Gardening]
Would you eat this? Do you even know what it is? It's something I wouldn't eat. Not even for money. Not even to be polite, which, to me is usually a more compelling reason than money. I mean, seriously look at that photograph. It looks like something Klingons would eat!!
They're beets. I can't stand them. I never did like them and then was pushed over the edge into hating them when I somehow got involved in canning and freezing a bunch of them when I was a teenager and it took all day and then I smelled like a beet and I grossed myself out....
The Hub said he likes them, and wanted me to plant some in the garden. Then he asked, "Are they naturally red?"
That made me wonder exactly how much experience he really had with this root vegetable.
"What other color would they be?" I asked, thinking maybe he meant some exotic variety.
"Well, I only ever had them pickled. I wasn't sure if they were red already or if pickling them made them turn that color."
"Hmm. How 'bout if I get some beets like the ones I would plant and you can try those out before I put in a whole row of them." I said....instead of saying, If you think I'm going to waste valuable space in the garden growing something that I hate to begin with and I'm going to have to PICKLE to get you to eat you've got another thought coming!
So, I got some beets. Luckily they came in one of those little plastic tubs, so I didn't even have to touch them. Of course, I'll have to when I cook them. Maybe I'll wear gloves.
The Hub came home from work. "I got those beets you asked me for. They're really ugly. Wanna see 'em?"
"That's quite a lead in to dinner, Little Bird" The Hub replied.
"Oh, we're not having those tonight. We're having sauteed chicken and kale. It's not ugly - I promise"
So....besides pickling....does anybody out there know a good way to prepare beets? My plan was to sautee them in butter. I figure that with enough butter a person can eat almost anything, and I know I'll have to try one just to confirm that I still hate them. Though, if they're grossing me out to just look at them I probably don't need to do too much research on all of this.
Eeeew.
Posted by Ginga Cool Cat at 9:57 PM
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Comment on this entry
Well, beets are route vegetables, so they're typically used in salads, soups, and stewed in addition to the normal pickled variety. Sauteed (without being boiled first) isn't normally recommended.
However, here's a recipe I found for beets with stout and sauteed beet greens. Seems a bit light on the stout, but looks tasty enough. You might even want to try it.
9 pounds beets including the greens (4 1/2 pounds without the greens), trimmed, leaving 2 inches of the stem ends intact and reserving 1 pound of the beet greens
3 tablespoons Guinness stout
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
the reserved beet greens or 1 pound of kale, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped very coarse
In a kettle cover the beets with 2 inches cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer the beets, covered, for 20 to 35 minutes (depending on their size), or until they are tender. Drain the beets and under the cold running water slip off and discard their skins and stems. In a skillet bring to a boil the stout and the vinegar and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the beets, quartered, add the salt and pepper to taste, and keep the beets warm, covered. In a large skillet heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides, in it sauté the reserved beet greens, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until they are tender, and stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the greens around the edge of a platter and mound the beets in the center.
Posted by: Rob at April 13, 2005 11:53 PM
How in the world did my brain substitute "route" for "root"? Blargh.
BTW - nice 80's Go-Go's reference.
Posted by: Rob at April 13, 2005 11:55 PM
YIKES! When you page loaded up and that photo appeared I thought it was brain surgery photo! It is gross and it does look like something a Klingon would eat... after he BEET it to death with a Bat'leth.
I wish you quapla' with the beets!
Peace and bon apatite,
--Will
Posted by: Will Burnham at April 14, 2005 8:30 AM
Or is that "bon appeBEET?"
I slay me.
Posted by: Rob at April 14, 2005 4:05 PM
I like em' in a root vegetable stew, or roasted root vegetable salad. I've never made the salad for myself, but the root veg stew is as written hither:
- get yourself a shwackload of fun (or cruel and unusual) root vegetables (beets, onions, carrots, turnips, parsnips, kohlrabi, etc).
- peel and cube, or just cube, as you desire.
- throw into large stew pot, with some boiling water.
- boil, but not for too long cuz you don't want the veggies to fall apart
- season with rosemary, maybe some nutmeg, salt and pepper
warning: if you make enough for leftovers, the beets will, over time, colour all the other veggies pink. just so you know.
So it's really easy, and at least you get to dilute the beets with other veggies. You hardly notice them. You could have the stew with some kind of hearty crusty bread..mmm...Good luck!
Posted by: Devilcat at April 14, 2005 4:36 PM
Beet. It's what's for dinner.
Seriously.
Posted by: Rob at April 14, 2005 10:10 PM
Thanks for the recipes & the sense of humor...I'll let you know what happens!
Posted by: Ginga Cool Cat at April 14, 2005 10:43 PM
If you make them really tasty, you will end up having to plant them.
Posted by: Theresa at April 14, 2005 11:17 PM
Nice pic, BTW.
Posted by: Theresa at April 15, 2005 10:42 PM
Well, beets are route vegetables, so they're typically used in salads, soups, and stewed in addition to the normal pickled variety. Sauteed (without being boiled first) isn't normally recommended.
However, here's a recipe I found for beets with stout and sauteed beet greens. Seems a bit light on the stout, but looks tasty enough. You might even want to try it.
9 pounds beets including the greens (4 1/2 pounds without the greens), trimmed, leaving 2 inches of the stem ends intact and reserving 1 pound of the beet greens
3 tablespoons Guinness stout
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
the reserved beet greens or 1 pound of kale, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped very coarse
In a kettle cover the beets with 2 inches cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer the beets, covered, for 20 to 35 minutes (depending on their size), or until they are tender. Drain the beets and under the cold running water slip off and discard their skins and stems. In a skillet bring to a boil the stout and the vinegar and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the beets, quartered, add the salt and pepper to taste, and keep the beets warm, covered. In a large skillet heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides, in it sauté the reserved beet greens, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until they are tender, and stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the greens around the edge of a platter and mound the beets in the center.
Posted by: Rob at April 13, 2005 11:53 PMHow in the world did my brain substitute "route" for "root"? Blargh.
BTW - nice 80's Go-Go's reference.
Posted by: Rob at April 13, 2005 11:55 PMYIKES! When you page loaded up and that photo appeared I thought it was brain surgery photo! It is gross and it does look like something a Klingon would eat... after he BEET it to death with a Bat'leth.
I wish you quapla' with the beets!
Peace and bon apatite,
Posted by: Will Burnham at April 14, 2005 8:30 AM--Will
Or is that "bon appeBEET?"
I slay me.
Posted by: Rob at April 14, 2005 4:05 PMI like em' in a root vegetable stew, or roasted root vegetable salad. I've never made the salad for myself, but the root veg stew is as written hither:
- get yourself a shwackload of fun (or cruel and unusual) root vegetables (beets, onions, carrots, turnips, parsnips, kohlrabi, etc).
- peel and cube, or just cube, as you desire.
- throw into large stew pot, with some boiling water.
- boil, but not for too long cuz you don't want the veggies to fall apart
- season with rosemary, maybe some nutmeg, salt and pepper
warning: if you make enough for leftovers, the beets will, over time, colour all the other veggies pink. just so you know.
So it's really easy, and at least you get to dilute the beets with other veggies. You hardly notice them. You could have the stew with some kind of hearty crusty bread..mmm...Good luck!
Posted by: Devilcat at April 14, 2005 4:36 PMBeet. It's what's for dinner.
Seriously.
Posted by: Rob at April 14, 2005 10:10 PMThanks for the recipes & the sense of humor...I'll let you know what happens!
Posted by: Ginga Cool Cat at April 14, 2005 10:43 PMIf you make them really tasty, you will end up having to plant them.
Posted by: Theresa at April 14, 2005 11:17 PMNice pic, BTW.
Posted by: Theresa at April 15, 2005 10:42 PM