Farmer’s Market Beets
I love it when a cool dense fog settles on the Santa Cruz Mountains this time of year. The Sunday morning farmer’s market is quieter with its offering of squash, root vegetables and dark hearty greens. This week I picked up a beautiful cluster of beets. I always use the greens, washing them carefully, and either quickly sauté with garlic and olive oil or blanch them and dress with a vinaigrette. Today I decided to use the beets and the greens together in a salad.
Wash the greens well and scrub the beets of all the dirt that still clings to them.
Washed Beets and Greens
Wrap the beets in foil and roast at 400 F until a fork pierces them – about an hour depending on the size of the beets. Run the beets under cold water and peel the skin off with a pairing knife. Slice into rounds.
Blanch the greens in boiling water for about 3 minutes. Using tongs remove the greens and drop into ice water to stop the cooking. When they have cooled down remove from the water – squeeze dry and chop into bite sized pieces.
Blanched Beet Greens
Make a vinaigrette: finely chop one clove of garlic, add to 3 tbsp of olive oil , 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and a tsp of Dijon mustard. Mix well and pour over the arranged beets and greens. Salt and pepper generously.
Beet Salad
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