Beets stain. That is part of their beauty, the way they leave some crimson around the lips, the tongue red (at first I wrote 'read') and the hands of the cook stained. Beets help one remember what you have eaten.
We have two ways that we like to prepare beets. The first is from Higgins in Portland, Oregon. We stumbled on this place while driving randomly around Portland on our way further south and Yoshie saw it and said "Let's eat there." She has a sense for such things and Higgins has about the best vegetables we have had at any restaurant in the US. it is worth a visit. The beets were so good we asked for the recipe.
Braised Beets from Higgins
- Beets (try different colours of heirloom beets, but all about the same size)
- Vinegar (white is fine, an apple vinegar works better)
- Cinnamon, Allspice, Clove, Nutmeg
Chop off the tops of the beets and keep to stir fry (wash them well, they taste great). Fill a roasting pan with about two thirds water and one third vinegar, it should be deep enough to cover the beets. Sprinkle in the spices, be generous. Cook in the oven at about 275 degrees until the beets are tender, this takes a while, usually about 90 minutes. Remove beets, discard liquid (we haven't found anything to do with it anyway) and peel - expect to get your fingers stained.
Beets Roasted in Rock Salt
- Beets, as above
- A coarse slat, the coarser the better
Make tinfoil packages, but in the beets (again, cut off the greens) and make sure they are thickly covered, two or three centimeters all around. Bake at about 325 degrees until tender, let cool until hot to the touch but not burning, and then peel.
Once you have the peeled beets there are a number of things you can do. Eating them just as they are is one of the best. Or you can sauté them in a bit of butter. Beets are also good in salads, and go well with chevre or any salty but simple cheese, and nuts. Walnuts and beets seem to work together well.
