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Catskills Seasonality
June – December
Unbeatable Beet Facts
- New York is the second largest producer of Red Table Beets in the US!
- Most beets are red, but some are gold or pink and white striped.
- Beets are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber.
Storage Tips
Beets should be stored in the refrigerator and are best used within two weeks.
Prep & Usage
- Wash beets well, they grow underground like potatoes
- Beet greens are edible – they taste similar to swiss chard or a mild kale
- Cut off the beet greens but leave 1-2 inches of stem
- Do not peel the beets until after they are cooked
- Beets need to be boiled for about 35-55 minutes
- Beets can be grilled, too
1 bunch beets with greens attached (see tip, below) ♥
16½-inch-thick slices baguette, preferably whole-grain, cut on the diagonal ♥
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced ♥
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces creamy goat cheese ♥
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Trim greens from beets, reserving stems and greens. Place the beets in a baking pan, cover with foil and roast until very tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1½ hours, depending on the size of the beets. Uncover and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees .
- While the beets cool, arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake, turning the slices over once halfway through, until toasted but not browned, about 14 minutes.
- Thinly slice the beet green stems and finely chop the leaves; keep stems and leaves separate. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the greens, vinegar and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender and the liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and remove from the heat.
- Peel the cooled beets and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place ¾ cup beet pieces, goat cheese and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth (reserve the remaining beets for another use).
- To assemble crostini, spread about 2 teaspoons beet-cheese spread on each slice of toasted baguette and top with sauteed greens.
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4, store the beet spread and greens separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
Tip: Look for bunches of beets with 2 to 3 medium-to-large beets for this recipe. If you have trouble finding beets with greens still attached, use loose beets plus 3 cups finely chopped chard greens and thinly sliced stems.
Recipe Source
EatingWell.comfood.com