SFist in the Kitchen: Beets
Beets have a bad reputation. Maybe it's the association with Russian peasants who relied on the nutrient-packed roots. Maybe it's the distinct earthy taste. Whatever the reason, our friends arch their eyebrows when they learn how much we love this ill-reputed root. (In our defense, we note that Amy of Cooking with Amy and Matt of MattBites extolled the virtues of beets in recent posts.)
But even beet skeptics often cave when they taste roasted beets. The roots lose water in the long cooking time, leaving behind rich mixtures of sugars and flavor compounds. The technique is easy to master. Place unpeeled beets into a loose envelope of aluminum foil and cook at 425° until the flesh yields to a fork, about an hour. Let cool briefly in the foil, and then rub off the skin to reveal glistening flesh.
We also grate raw beets and toss the shreds with orange juice, which adds a high note to beety bass tones. If you eat raw beets, however, keep that vibrant red color in mind the next day: You're probably not hemorrhaging internally.
We all know about that ruby red juice, but the beet universe offers gold beets and bulls-eye-colored Chioggas, which dominate the plates at Chez Panisse when they're in season.
Buy your beets with the greens intact. You can use them to gauge the vegetable's freshness and you can cook them just like chard, which inhabits the same species. We suggest that you lop off the greens when you get home so that the stems don't suck sugar out of the beetroot.
This early in the season, be picky about your beet vendors. If the greens have bolted, the root will probably be tough and woody. As we move into the high season (typically June through October, though who knows with the weather we've been having of late), you'll find great beets at every stall.
In addition to orange, we love the combination of goat cheese and beets. At a recent dinner party, we served a wedge of goat cheese atop a small tower of red and gold roasted beets, which we garnished with authentic balsamic vinegar and kumquat powder. This last weekend, we reversed the presentation with a tower of roasted beets and fennel atop a disc of warm goat cheese, dressed with an orange vinaigrette and garnished with more citrus dust. We served a Mosel Kabinett Riesling on the side. Beets also pair nicely with baking spices, parsley, and strong flavors such as prosciutto and mustard.
Are you in the love 'em or hate 'em camp with beets? Tell us about your favorite preparations in the comments below.