I read a list published in the New York Times last week (first published in June 2008) that highlighted the 11 best foods you aren’t eating.
They are right.
I’m not eating beets. I’m not eating cabbage. I’m not eating swiss chard. I am definitely not eating sardines. But I am eating cinnamon, pomegranate juice, dried plums, frozen blueberries, and canned pumpkin. That’s a start, right?
Back to beets. Beets have always been a very mysterious vegetable to me. I didn’t grow up eating them. Not that I’m one to garden (I live on a lovely patch of pavement in the city), but beets aren’t something I’ve ever grown or harvested myself. And how do you cook them? I know they are absolutely sweet and delicious–possibly nature’s sweetest vegetable–once I can get my hands on them (and they stain, so watch out!). But unfortunately, when it comes to beets and other such vegetables, intimidation gets the best of me and I’m usually afraid to attempt cooking them.
But in the spirit of healthy eating and conquering my cooking fears (see a prior post on this topic), I decided to give beets a try. I had collected a little bit of vague advice from a friend. I thought the hard part was actually getting myself to purchase them at the store. Once I got them home it would be cake.
(Humorous anecdote: The leaves were so long the whole beets didn’t fit in the standard size plastic vegetable bag at the grocery store, but, like a carton of eggs, I managed to babysit the unruly creatures all the way to the check-out line, gently place them on the rolling conveyor belt, and then–wham!–the otherwise very kind check-out bagger folded my beet stems to squeeze them into my reusable shopping bag! With a worried smile, I informed him that I wanted to photograph those beets. He rushed off to get another bunch for me.)
I thought maybe it was as easy as chopping off the stems and leaves and putting them in a preheated oven. I decided to make a few other vegetables at the same time, and threw in a sweet potato and a regular potato on the same cookie sheet. Maybe my attention wasn’t focused–I was just winging it. I pulled out the sizzling beets, oozing sticky juice, and let them rest for a while. They seemed tender when I pierced them.
I served them with our chicken dinner, proud of my accomplishment. But I needed a steak knife to cut them. I hadn’t cooked them long enough.
What did I learn? One, I am now capable of bringing home even the most intimidating vegetables. And two, I am now even more determined to give them another try–this time letting them cook until they are really done. A recipe like this Orange and Beet Salad would be a good start for me.
Are you eating beets? If you are a beginner when it comes to trying new vegetables, many stores, such as Trader Joe’s, sell beets pre-cooked in the refrigerated section.
Top photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/craigcloutier/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
Second photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/noshha/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
From the Editor
Swine Dining
Cooking from the Carpool Lane
whenever i cook beets, i cut off the stems about 1/2″ from the beet, wrap each in foil and place them in a glass baking dish (easier to wash off the stain). once they’re cool, i wear the blue gloves from my husband’s lab and slip the skins off. so easy! i eat them plain, with a splash of fruity vinegar, with salt, pepper and olive oil, with goat cheese in a salad or just straight from the fridge one piece at a time when i want to snack. i also like to cook the stems like chard or spinach. chopped up, either sauteed with garlic or in a soup with korean miso paste, garlic, pork, and tofu. yum!
I completely relate to you on the mystery of veggies that you’ve never thought of preparing by yourself. I recently prepared sauteed kale (garlic & olive oil), and fortunately it turned out yummy. I say fortunate, because if it didn’t then I’d likely not ever attempt kale again :D Good for you for Beets Attempt #2! And let us know how it turns out ;P
The good news is that you will never undercook them again. You can basically cook the %^#$ out of them and they will be sweeter for it.
In France they sell beets (“betterave”) pre-cooked. But then you never know what you are getting and what sorts of preserving juices are lurking.
As for preventing stained hands, you can either wear gloves, slather cooking oil on the insides of your fingers (careful with the knife after that) and the dye won’t sink into the skin, or do as I do and spend lots of time in chlorinated pools :)
Mmmm… I love beets!
If you want to eat more cabbage, try brushing it with a little olive oil, sprinkling some salt, pepper, and sugar on it, and then roasting it in the oven at a high temperature. When it is fork tender, sprinkle a little balsamic vinegar on it. This is the yummiest way I’ve ever had cabbage!
The most scary vegetable I’ve allowed to come home with me recently is a celeriac root. It’s still sitting in my fridge….
I did it! I roasted beets tonight for the 1st time. I took 3 of the smallest, wrapped them in foil. 400° for 1 hr 15 min. While they were warm, I peeled and sliced, sprinkled with salt, pepper, olive oil and drizzled lightly with balsamic vinegar. I thought they were more delicious than my husband, who pronounced them, “Doable and fairly good. Kinda ‘rooty.’” Whatever that means. I sliced and seasoned the rest; I’ll use them over my spring mix salads for the rest of the week. I thought they were more delicious than my husband; I think it’s because I really badly wanted them to taste good…
Congratulations, Betty! That is great news.