Wednesday 30 March 2016

Day 17: Roasted Beet Stems and Beet Greens - Part 1 - Ψητά Παντζάρια - Μέρος 1


Beets are root vegetables.  The round part grows underground, and the top greens grow above the ground.  They need to be washed well, and then you can enjoy them in a myriad of recipes.  The vegetable that we call beets are actually the beetroots.  That is the bulbous part of the plant.  The leaves and stems are also edible, but are often referred to as beet greens.  We are going to use both parts, the beetroot and the beet greens.

For the recipe, you will need the following:

Beet Greens with stems
1 tsp - 1 TBSP oil, as needed
ground ginger, to taste
salt, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

We will work with only the beet greens today.   Our first step before working with these vegetables is to wash them well.  Even though the greens are grown above ground, you never know where they have been at any point in the journey to your kitchen-- where were the beets in transit, in storage, or in the store?  Even if you grow your own, you have to wash away any bugs or dust.  At least rinse the beet greens in the sink before putting them on your clean cutting board.

Chop the beet greens into 2 inch lengths.  You want to cut the stems and the greens.  We started by cutting the whole bunch in half to make a shorter length, then, cut the two inch pieces from there.  And, because we are a little nervous about bugs in our foods, we washed the greens one more time.  It is just to make sure that there is not residual sand/dirt on the leaves or the stems.  This will also assure that when you bite into the finished product, you won't feel any grit in your teeth.




Heat a small amount of water in a pot.  We had about 1/2 inch depth of water in our 8 inch round pot.  It should be enough water to boil the vegetables.  Add a pinch of salt and make sure the water is at a full boil.  You want the salt in the water to give a boost of colour and flavour to the greens, and it will help to quickly soften and break down the stems.  Boil the stems and greens for about three minutes until soft.  Drain the hot liquid and allow the greens to drip in the sink while preparing the frying pan.




After the greens are drained, heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan.  Even in a non-stick pan, you need a little oil.  Pan spray may work, but we have only ever used oil.

When the oil is hot, put the slightly wet greens in the pan and get them nice and hot.  Stir them around in the frying pan to make sure that all the stems are cooked fully.  This will cook the leaves, too, so you want to stir regularly.  Sauté the greens and stems for about 4 minutes, then, turn off the heat.



Now, to the hot pan with no heat under it, add a pinch of ground ginger.  Mix the greens all around to make sure that the ginger is consistent throughout the greens.

Add the crushed red pepper flakes.  You add as many as you want, or none if you choose not to have a little spice.  We like spicy foods, so we want a bit of a kick.  Plus, it is a nice contradiction to the sweet and savoury flavours of the greens and ginger.  Also, adjust the amount of salt as needed.  If you don't taste salt, that is fine.  If it is too salty, add a bit more ginger.  You will find the balance that works for you.  These seasonings are all done to taste, so you have to decide how much of each.




Now, add a shot of orange juice and a small squirt of red wine vinegar.  Mix it all around to make sure that everything is coated with the variety of flavours.  At this point, you can enjoy eating just the greens and the stems, or you can plate these and use them as a base to the roasted beets (as we will).  Serve these warm or at room temperature.  And, enjoy the colourful greens that some people would have thrown away before reading this great recipe!

"Every evil is a sickness of soul, but virtue offers the cause of its health."

By Saint Basil the Great

Source of this quote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/saint_basil.html

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