My sister and I were taking a break at my house a few weeks ago, watching one of Nigella Lawson's cooking shows. She was wearing white, from bottom to top, and had white gloves on. Very elegant. Then she picked up a red beet.
Beets are beautiful ... and messy. I have dyed my cutting boards beet red quite a few times dicing and slicing this root vegetable. We watched in awe as she worked with the bright red orbs without staining her clothing.
Inspired by that show and the fact that beets are showing up in CSA (community-supported agriculture) share boxes, I asked my sister if she or her husband knew of any good beet recipes. Shari responded, "Well, John's co-workers like pickled beets. But he won't eat them."
What about simply roasted beets?
"He won't eat them."
Beetroot pasta?
"He won't eat them."
Beet brownies?
"He won't ..."
OK, fine.
I'll find some other unsuspecting, uh, tasters.
Luckily, I work in a place where just about any food is welcome, especially if it's homemade.
The 30-minute risotto-style beetroot pasta was divvied up by three co-workers as it left the photo studio.
The pasta was fun and easy to prepare (and really quick ... and tasty). The recipe calls for chicken broth, but I made it with vegetable stock, as there are a couple of vegetarians in the office.
The brownies I left on a communal shelf without mentioning the secret ingredient. They were gone, and pan cleaned and returned to me the following morning.
So, although my brother-in-law won't eat them, a lot of folks really like beets.
30-Minute Risotto-Style Beetroot Pasta
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons butter, divided use
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 medium beets, small dice
1/2 pound short spiral pasta, uncooked
2 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan, then turn heat to low to keep the broth hot.
In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until it starts to brown.
Add the diced beet and pasta to the skillet and cook while stirring until the pasta starts to look toasty (about 5 minutes).
Add 1 cup of the hot broth to the pasta mixture and stir constantly. Wait until almost all of the broth is absorbed before adding more broth, one cup at a time. Cook until pasta is tender but still firm (10 to 15 minutes). There might be some leftover broth.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, chopped parsley, garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
Makes 4 servings.
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies
1/2 pound fresh beets, scrubbed
1 cup unsalted butter
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped or chips
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Place beets in a saucepan and add water to cover by 1/2 inch. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 to 35 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to an ice bath until cool. Transfer cool beets to a food processor and pulse until minced.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper; lightly coat with butter.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the 1 cup butter and chocolate together. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and brown sugar; mix on medium-high until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed and add minced beets, then slowly add melted chocolate and mix until just combined. Slowly add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow brownies to cool before cutting and serving.
Makes 16 to 25 brownies.
Shaved Golden Beet, Carrot and Radish Salad
For dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Ground black pepper, to taste
For shaved salad:
4 small golden beets, peeled
4 medium carrots, peeled
1 small bunch of radishes, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large salad bowl.
Thinly slice the beets, carrots and radishes with a mandoline or in a food processor with the slicing disc.
Toss the sliced vegetables with the dressing to coat evenly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 servings.
Food on 03/18/2015