Beet Greens with Balsamic Glazed Beets

Wow, the last three weeks of Food Network's Summerfest really call out the transition into fall.  This week is "beet" week, followed by "grape" week, ending with "potatoes".  I am writing this post on Labor Day while (sorta) watching a college football game. Yes, fall is almost here.

I always have mixed emotions this time of year.  I am so sad to see summer end, but fall is one of my favorite seasons.  The farmers' markets are in their glory at what can only be described as harvest, the trees will soon start to show their colors, the crisp cool air is refreshing and, with children back in school, the beaches, pools, parks and outdoor activities are less crowded and easier to enjoy.  I love summer, but I love fall too!

Beets always remind me of fall even though they are in season all summer. My advice?  Use the greens too. They are delicious and packed with nutrients. In fact both beets and beet greens are amazingly good for you. Remember the adage about eating a variety of colors when selecting your daily fruit and vegetable choices? Beets are perfect for filling your "red" requirement.  WHFoods.org posted this nutrient chart:

Nutrients in
Beets
1.00 cup raw (136.00 grams)

Nutrient%Daily Value

 folate37%

 manganese22.5%

 fiber15.2%

 potassium12.6%

 vitamin C11.1%

 tryptophan9.3%

 magnesium7.8%

 iron6%

 phosphorus5.4%

 copper5%

Calories (58)3%

"The greens attached to the beet roots are delicious and can be prepared like spinach or Swiss chard. They are incredibly rich in nutrients, concentrated in vitamins and minerals as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin." WHfoods.org

This dish combines the greens with beets sauteed in a glaze of extra virgin olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar.  Delicious as a side dish with any type of roasted meat or chicken, I also make a vegetarian main dish by sprinkling goat or feta cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds over top.  A perfect late summer/early fall lunch or light dinner.  Enjoy!

Beet Greens with Balsamic Glazed Beets
4 lbs beets (with greens attached)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cut beets from greens.  Cut greens from woody stems and center ribs.  Chop and reserve greens.  Scrub beets and cut off roots and all but 2 inches of the stems. Place beets in large pot and cover with water by about 3 inches and 2 large pinches of salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Cooking time depends on how large your beets are.  Start checking after 30 minutes.  Beets are ready when a sharp knife easily pierces the flesh.  There should be a tiny but of give, do not overcook.  Drain and allow to cool enough to handle.

With a sharp knife, cut off beet stems.  Peel and cut beets into quarters.  Depending on the size of your beets, cut each piece into 1 inch wedges. (If your beets are small this step may be unnecessary.) 

Add olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar to large skillet over medium high heat.  Whisk to combine and cook for 3 minutes until the mixture slightly thickens.  Add 1 tsp basil, pinch each salt and pepper, stir.  Add beets to skillet and stir to ensure all sides are coated with balsamic mixture. When beets are warm, remove from pan with slotted spoon and place in medium bowl.  Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. 

Add beet greens to skillet.  Add a small pinch each salt and pepper and cook until greens are wilted. (about 3 minutes)  Mound greens on serving platter.  Top with beets.  Sprinkle with remaining basil and serve.

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Other beet recipes you may enjoy:

• roasted beet & avocado salad with meyer lemon marmalade vinaigrette
• pink lentils with roasted beets
• farmer's market roasted beet soup
• roasted beet, fig and orange salad

It is "beets" week at food network's summerfest. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite beet recipe of your own? Please share in the comments section of this post.
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Star Anise Ginger Pickled Beets
The Heritage Cook: Rosemary Roasted Beets, Potatoes and Peppers
Dishing: Beetroot Brownies / Beet Brownies
Devour: 4 Beet Salad Best Bets
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Beet Greens with Balsamic Glazed Beets
Red or Green: Sweet and Spicy Roasted Beet and Bacon Salad 
Virtually Homemade: Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese
Domesticate Me: Ginger-Soy Glazed Salmon with Asian Beet Slaw
Dishin & Dishes: Roasted Beet Salad with Garlic Vinaigrette
Taste With The Eyes: Shrimp, Beet, Raspberry, Radicchio and Rose Salad
Weelicious: Red Beet and White Bean Hummus
FN Dish: 5 Ways to Brighten Beets 
best,
diane

napa farmhouse 1885
red or green?
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roasted beet and avocado salad with meyer lemon marmalade vinaigrette

can you  believe it is already the first week of september?  i am writing this post on labor day, the traditional last day of summer.  students are back in school, college football was played this past weekend...the nfl season starts this week, soon the weather will begin to turn.  so it was not a surprise that this is beet week at food network's summerfest.

i always think of beets as a winter vegetable but, in california, beets are grown year round.  i like them best picked in summer when they are still tiny.  i serve them raw shaved into salads or added to cake batter, boiled, steamed...even cooked on the barbecue.  my favorite way though is roasted and added to salads.  today's recipe is perfect for this time of year as it is substantial enough to serve as a main dish at lunch or light supper; it also works as part of a salad buffet.  tonight i paired the salad with roasted chicken legs.  the meyer lemon marmalade vinaigrette is sweet/tart.  perfect to tame the richness of the avocado and beets.  i brushed some of the leftover vinaigrette on the chicken as it was roasting...really delicious.  enjoy!

roasted beet salad with meyer lemon marmalade vinaigrette
4 medium beets
1 large hass avocado
1/4 of a sweet white onion, sliced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp cashews, chopped
coarse grey salt
freshly ground black pepper
meyer lemon vinaigrette (recipe below)

meyer lemon vinaigrette
2 tbsp meyer lemon marmalade**
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sweet hot mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

for the salad:
roast the beets (instructions here) and allow to cool.  cut into bite sized pieces and mound in the center of a serving platter.  peel and chop the avocado (instructions here).  spread the avocados around the beets.  scatter sliced onions over the top.  sprinkle a pinch of sea salt and one of pepper over the salad. drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of vinaigrette over vegetables.  top with cilantro and cashews.  serve with remaining vinaigrette on the side.  add additional seasonings and/or vinaigrette if desired.

for the vinaigrette:
in a small bowl, whisk together the marmalade, vinegar and mustard.  when mixed, slowly add in the olive oil, whisking continuously.  add a large pinch of salt and pepper.  taste and add additional oil, vinegar and/or salt if desired.  ** if you can't find meyer lemon marmalade (my favorite), any citrus marmalade will work.

other beet recipes you may enjoy:
roasted beet salad with bacon vinaigrette
farmer's market roasted beet soup
roasted beet, fig and orange salad
pink lentils with roasted beets

now it is your turn to participate in summerfest. simply leave your beet tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit food network and do the same same. be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from the other participating bloggers: 
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Roasted Beet and Apple Walnut Salad With Honey Yogurt Dressing
What's Gaby Cooking: Beet, Corn and Quinoa Salad
Chez Us: Pickled Beets
From My Corner of Saratoga: Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleon
Feed Me Phoebe: Spaghetti With Beet Greens and Blistered Tomatoes
Virtually Homemade: Orange Roasted Chicken With Beets and Green Beans
Thursday Night Dinner: Beet, Carrot and Ginger Soup
HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Beets
Cooking With Books: Roasted Beets, Carrots and Goat Cheese Tartine
FN Dish: Better Beets

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it is beet week...how about roasted beet salad with bacon vinaigrette?

i burst out laughing when i saw it was beet week at food network's fall fest.  don't get me wrong; i really do love beets.  but...oh man...beets again?  it was a very cool spring, summer and early fall here in the napa valley.  we had few hot days and the weather really impacted the agriculture.  everything was late...or non existent.  ( a friend in the wine business told me about the number of "zero crop" vineyards...happily most grape growers have crop insurance).  my csa box included beets almost every week.  so, beets...for six months...um?  can you say overkill?

look how big the beets were by the end of summer...compared to a "normal" sized beet on the right

i roasted beets, served them raw in salads, shredded for a version of coleslaw, peeled and chopped to add to smoothies (really delicious), juiced them, obliterated in a blender and added to pasta sauces, added to chocolate cake batter...you name it...i did it.  i think my favorite beet recipe was the roasted beet soup i told you about earlier this summer...i named it the most beautiful soup in the world.  the soup not only looks beautiful, it tastes delicious.

roasted beet soup

the csa box deliveries ended for the season in early november.  i vowed i would not eat beets again until spring.  then i received the email from food network announcing beets as this week's fall fest item.  eek..what's a girl to do?   add bacon, of course.  introducing my roasted beet salad with bacon vinaigrette.  easy, delicious, perfect for lunch or dinner and, at this time of year, the beautiful color is perfect for the holidays.  enjoy!

roasted beet salad with bacon vinaigrette

roasted beet salad with bacon vinaigrette
(4 servings)
4-6 medium beets,different colors if you can,  roasted (technique follows)
4 handfuls baby arugula, washed and dried
1 tbsp fresh italian parsley, chopped

bacon vinaigrette
3 slices of bacon

2 tbsp red onion
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey mustard
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

roast beets according to the directions in the post want some pink lentils with roasted beets?  when cooked and cooled, peel and cut into bit sized pieces.  place in serving bowl and toss with parsley, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of pepper.

make vinaigrette: fry bacon in skillet until very crisp.  remove from pan, reserving drippings. crumble bacon and set aside.  add onion to pan and sauté until translucent.  add bacon fat and cooked onion to small bowl.  whisk in oil, vinegar and mustard.  add small pinch of pepper and whisk again.

top beets with 2 tbsp vinaigrette and the crumbled bacon. toss.  taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  place one handful each arugula on 4 salad plates.  mound beets on top of greens.  drizzle additional vinaigrette over salad if desired.  serve

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your beets tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit food network and do the same same. join the conversation on twitter at #cookingwith and be sure to check out these delicious sounding recipes from the other participating bloggers.  they will be posted on wednesday at noon:
Bay Area Foodie: Baked Beet Ravioli
Thursday Night Dinner: Roasted Beets and Walnut Encrusted Goat Cheese
What's Gaby Cooking: Farro Beet and Herb Salad
My Angel's Allergies: Roasted Beet and Potato Vinaigrette Salad
Cooking Channel: Garlicky Beet Salad With Walnuts and Dates
The Sensitive Epicure: Simply Sauteed Beets
FN Dish: Top 3 Beet Salad Recipes
And Love It Too: Raw, Vegan and Sugar-Free Red Velvet Fudge

Big Girls Small Kitchen: Beet Salad With Crispy Leeks and Bacon

so..what is your favorite way to prepare beets?  please share in the comments section of this post....thanks

best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885
"live a green life of style™ "

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a recipe for roasted beet soup...the most beautiful soup in the world?

winter in napa lasted a long time this year...very long.  like no spring kind of long.  like cold and rainy through the middle of june kind of long.  so our local spring and summer produce is all mixed up.  everything is late.   and, since i participate in a napa CSA, i have been experiencing this issue on a weekly basis.  we have had beets, turnips, onions, carrots, garlic and greens daily since the middle of may...and, honestly, i am ready for beet and turnip season to be over.  i think that is the key to eating seasonal, local food.  just when you are getting tired of a particular item...poof, the season is over and you have to wait a year for it to return.  (this philosophy does not work for tomatoes...i never get tired of tomatoes and their season is always way too short.)

so back to beets.  i love them and have been preparing them a number of ways...i think roasted is my favorite, but i also love them raw in salads.  i have a recipe for roasted and raw beets served with feta cheese on a bed of arugula and sprinkled with preserved meyer lemons that is out of this world.

today i made beet soup that tastes delicious and looks absolutely beautiful.  the soup contains beets that are first roasted and then blended with carrots, red onion and green apple.  it is subtlety spiced with chinese 5 powder and fresh herbs, then topped with tangy greek yogurt.  i confess that i am now slightly addicted...and perhaps wishing beet season gives me just a couple more weeks.  i want to make this again...(and again)

farmer's market roasted beet soup
1 lb red beets  
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 green apple, unpeeled and chopped
3/4 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
3 cups water
1 fresh lemon basil sprig
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 fresh parsley sprig
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
best quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp freshly snipped chives

preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  roast beets by following the directions given in the post want some pink lentils with roasted beets?   cool and peel, then coarsely chop.  set aside
.
add the 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to stockpot over medium heat. add carrots, onion and apple to pot and sauté (stirring often) until onion is just translucent, about 15 minutes.  add chinese 5 spice, pinch kosher salt, pinch black pepper and the beets . continue sautéing until onion just begins to caramelize, stirring frequently, about 5 additional minutes. add the water and herbs. allow soup to just come to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.  remove herbs.  

if you have an immersion blender (if not, go buy one now!), use this tool to puree soup until it is very smooth. ( if you don't have an immersion blender you can process in a regular blender, but please be very careful.  let the soup cool to warm and add to blender in batches, when pureed, add back to soup pot)

add additional salt and pepper to taste.  just before serving add 2 additional tablespoons best quality extra virgin olive oil to soup, stir and serve in bowls with a dollop of greek yogurt and a sprinkle of chives.

do you have favorite beet recipes?  please share in the comments section of this post...thank you...
best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885
"live a green life of style™ "


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have you ever roasted oranges? and a recipe for roasted beet, fig & orange salad

whoops! so it is winter salad week at fall fest. stories are supposed to be posted by wednesday mornings, but this week really got away from me. the figs are ripe...the figs are ripe! (in my 20 plus years of corporate life i never imagined that sentence being an excuse.) but i now plan my life around nature. when the figs ripen i begin making jam...cases and cases and cases of fig & grand marnier jam which is one of our best sellers. since we had a very cool summer, the figs are ripening later than usual...and all at once. i try to make enough of the jam to last the entire year...but we usually sell out by june. this year i am determined to use every single piece of fruit...and have a year round supply...but that means a daily focus on figs....


ok...enough of my babbling. since figs have been on my mind...and taking over my life...i thought my contribution to winter salad week would involve figs. my weekly csa box has included beets for the past few weeks...and i have oranges on hand...so fig, beet and orange sounded like a perfect combination.

regular readers know that i am addicted to roasting vegetables...and fruit. i roast everything, but i had not roasted oranges before. i thought the end result would be interesting so i roasted the oranges along with the figs and beets. you know what? they are delicious. roasting deepens and softens the citrus flavor. they caramelize just a bit and pair really nicely with the other ingredients. the salad looks and tastes delicious and is perfect for a fall lunch or as the first course of a harvest dinner. i added feta today...but goat cheese would be equally delicious....and maybe a sprinkling of hazelnuts? hmm...lots of possibilities with this one....what would you add?

roasted beet, fig and orange salad
6-8 small beets
extra virgin olive oil
6 fresh figs, washed and cut in half
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
3 cups baby spinach , washed and dried
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
grey sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
honey mustard vinaigrette (recipe follows)
fig balsamic reduction (recipe follows) or excellent quality aged balsamic vinegar

preheat oven to 400 degrees. prepare beets for roasting by following the directions in the post want some pink lentils with roasted beets?
after beets have been roasting for approx. 40 minutes, remove from oven and add fig slices and orange sections directly to the same rimmed baking sheet...push the beet packets to one side of pan. drizzle figs and oranges with a couple passes of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt (about a tsp of salt). add back to oven and continue roasting for an additional 20 minutes or until figs and oranges have begun to caramelize and beets can be easily pierced with a knife. (be very careful when opening beet packets to allow the steam to escape). let cool and peel the beets. cut in half and then into wedges. set aside.
meanwhile add spinach to medium bowl. add a couple of tablespoons of honey mustard vinaigrette and toss. go light with the dressing, you don't want to drown the leaves...start with 1 tbsp, toss and add a little at a time of the second tbsp.you may not need all of the second tbsp. add feta and salt & pepper to taste. mound spinach on a serving platter. scatter the beets, figs and orange wedges on top on the spinach. drizzle the fig/balsamic reduction (or balsamic vinegar) over the top of the salad. drizzle a bit more honey mustard vinaigrette if desired. adjust seasonings to taste and serve immediately.

honey mustard vinaigrette1/8 cup champagne vinegar
pinch grey salt
pinch black pepper
1 tbsp honey mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

make viniagrette... add vinegar, salt pepper and mustard to small bowl and whisk to incorporate. pour in e.v.o.o in a stream whisking constantly. taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. transfer to small mason jar with lid and set aside.

white on rice couple's fresh fig & balsamic reductionabout 1 cup ripe fig pulp
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla (i like tahitian)
1. scoop out fig pulp
2. in saucepan, add vinegar, fig pulp and simmer on low heat until mixture reduces down to about half. Stir occasionally (every 5-8 minutes). this will take 30-45 minutes.
3. allow fig/balsamic reduction to cool. place mixture in blender or food processor. blend thoroughly until mixture combines and becomes smooth. this step will also help release the seed from any pulp that has not cooked down. in separate bowl, strain out fig seeds. depending on your strainer, you might need to strain it at least two times to remove most of the seeds.
4. add 1 teaspoon vanilla to reduction, combine well
5. the reduction is very concentrated. use about 1 tsp at a time (or to taste) to your favorite marinades, sauces, dressings and drizzles.

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your fall salad tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating fall fest 2010. as always...its been a blast.

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow us on twitter
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want some pink lentils with roasted beets?

i love creating recipes. usually, i am inspired by something...a write up in a magazine, a wonderful dish at a restaurant, fresh in-season produce at the farmer's market...you never know when and where inspiration will strike. a few weeks ago i was inspired by color...and it all started with lentils...

o.k...even i realize how odd that sounds. but we spent a day at the coast...stinson beach to be exact and ...on the way home...we stopped at a produce stand located just off the road in sonoma. i stocked up on loads of locally and sustainably grown fruit and vegetables...and nuts....beans...you name it...my basket was packed. then, just as i was heading to the check out, i saw the most beautiful pink color imaginable. when i checked it out i discovered it was pink lentils. i bought a big bag full...had no idea what i was going to do with them...but that color was too cool to pass up.

so...pink lentils...now what? my first thought was some type of salad...but after a bit of research, i realized that "colored" lentils get a bit soft when cooked...no salad. i moved on to the idea of a warm dish prepared with a lot of different vegetables and i couldn't get the concept of beautiful, natural color out of my mind....i stared at all the vegetables i bought...separated everything by color..and...ta dah!!!...decided to create a dish using color as the unifying touch.

i had three bunches of baby beets...each bunch a different color...red, purple and orange. i love roasted beets and thought about the pink lentils with the red, purple and orange beets...sold! then i added white garlic, orange carrots, ruby red cherry tomatoes, light green shallots, deep green chives, green extra virgin olive oil and burgundy colored balsamic vinegar to the ingredients list....how gorgeous is that? even better... it sounded like it would taste delicious...there you go...mother nature at her finest...food that looks good...tastes good...and is incredibly good for you...home run!

i made the dish and...i must say...it turned out as wonderful as i hoped. give it a try and please let me know what you think... i served mine with roast chicken and a green salad....what sounds good to you?

pink lentils with roasted beets

3 bunches organic beets (1 bunch of each color...red, purple orange...beets 1-2 inches in diameter)

extra virgin olive oil

grey salt

2 c pink lentils

4 c water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1 small carrot, diced

1 small package cherry tomatoes

extra virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar

grey salt

freshly cracked pepper

2 tbsp snipped chives

photo process of preparing beets for roasting

roasted beets

preheat oven to 400 degrees. wash beets and cut off greens only...not the stems (save greens for another use...delicious sauteed in e.v.o.o. and stirred into pasta)

tear off 3 pieces of tin foil twice as large as size of 1 bunch of beets. place the trimmed red beets in the center of one piece of foil. drizzle with 2 turns of the olive oil. sprinkle with a pinch of grey salt. wrap the beets tightly in the foil to ensure no steam escapes. repeat process with the orange and purple beets. place on a rimmed baking sheet. roast in oven approx. 1 hour. test after 45 minutes by carefully opening one packet and piercing one beet with the point of a sharp knife. beets are ready when knife easily slides into beet.

allow beets to cool. cooked beets are really easy to peel. you just pull off the skin. be careful to peel over a bowl as beet juice can stain counter tops, wooden cutting boards and your clothing :)
lentils
place the lentils and water in medium saucepan and bring to a soft boil. reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. add garlic, shallot, carrots and tomatoes and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until lentils are tender. remove from heat. stir in the prepared beets (cut larger ones in half), 4 tbsp e.v.o.o and 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar. season with additional grey salt and pepper to taste. (add additional oil and vinegar if lentils seem dry). top with the chives and serve immediately

have you ever created a dish based on color? what did you make? please tell us about it in the comments section of this post....

happy middle of summer everyone!

best,

diane

diane padoven

napa farmhouse 1885

"live a green life of style"

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