I love beets. As those of you who watched Doug as a child (or adult?) know, beets are nature's candy. Except they are much better for you than any candy I have found! I don't know offhand exactly what in them is good for you, but I know its there and in substantial amounts.
The way I usually cook beets is by boiling them in water. Others may prefer roasting, and I must admit that it is possible that boiling takes some of the nutrients/flavor away but I boil them and they are flavorful and delicious. Anyway, I clean the beets (do not peel yet!) and then put them in a pot of water that I then bring to a boil. Beets take a while to cook, 45 minutes to an hour depending on how big they are. I usually cook two or three at a time and save the ones I don't eat in the refrigerator for quick use in salads and things. They stay good for three or four days when the skin is still on. Maybe longer. I don't really know because I eat them within this time frame. When the beets are done (you can test them with a knife to see how soft they are) put them on a plate to cool for a bit. I then chop the top and bottom off and peel them under cold running water. This makes it easy to peel and keeps your hands and the whole kitchen from turning pink.
Ok! I am now going to share with you a great pasta recipe that I eat once or twice a week lately.
Beet Pasta with Pine Nuts
olive oil
garlic
beets sliced into thick rods (one per person, or maybe half of one per person. I myself eat an entire beet in my pasta.)
a handful of pinenuts, toasted
whole wheat pasta (the picture has spiral, but I am currently into bow tie)
salt and pepper to taste
parmesean cheese
In a frying pan, heat some olive oil with a couple cloves of garlic. I like to crush the garlic with a knife and cut it in pretty big pieces instead of mincing it. When its cooking nicely add the cut up beets and cook a few minutes. Add cooked pasta, and some of the cooking water from the pasta if it is sticking or needs more moisture. Add salt and pepper and some parmesean. The pasta turns pink on the edges and such from the beets and looks pretty. After a few minutes, put it all onto plates, add pine nuts and more parmesean cheese on top. Consume.
Green Salad with Beets
And what do you do with the beets in the fridge? I slice them up and then add them to salad greens with some toasted walnuts, oil, balsamic vinegar and pepper. Feta is also a good addition if you are feeling extravagant or if you have some. A friend of mine living in Russia taught me about this salad, so it is Babushka approved.
