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<\/a><\/p>\nAren’t they beautiful? \u00a0I left the dirt on them for this picture so you knew I wasn’t lying that I grew them.<\/p>\n
1. So step one is to get a knife, cutting board and a beet.<\/p>\n
2. Next we trim. \u00a0Cut the greens off about an inch or so above the beet root. \u00a0You can also trim the long dangley root part a bit.<\/p>\n 3. One you have trimmed all your beets, wash them thoroughly. \u00a0They may not look that dirty but they have been in the ground for 2 months and grit tastes bad. \u00a0(These are about to get washed.) I use a scrubby pad but a potato brush is ideal.<\/p>\n 4. Since I didn’t have much confidence in my beet growing abilities, I grabbed a bunch from the store to make sure there were enough. \u00a0The nice veggie man got all excited when I asked about the beet variety I hadn’t seen before. \u00a0He said they were his favorite. \u00a0I noticed they were a lighter pink on the outside but didn’t realize until I cut into them that they were striped inside.<\/p>\n 5. After washing, put the beets into a baking dish big enough that everyone has a little elbow room. \u00a0Since the striped beets were \u00a0a lot bigger than my beets I cut them into quarters so they would cook in about the same time. \u00a0Otherwise I usually leave them all whole. \u00a0 Drizzle some olive oil over them and a pinch of salt. \u00a0I like to toss them a bit so they are nice and coated. \u00a0If you are going to put these in a salad (which we are) then you can put a little extra oil and use it later as beet infused dressing.<\/p>\n 6. Cook these in a 375 degree oven. \u00a0The length of time with depend on how big your beets are. \u00a0Small ones could be done in 20 minutes while bigger ones may need 45 minutes. You will know they are done when you can pierce it with a knife and it slides right in. \u00a0Set aside and let cool enough for you to handle them.<\/p>\n 7. Once cooled a bit, put one on your cutting board and trim off the root end and the stem end. \u00a0As a warning, beets will stain everything they touch for the most part. \u00a0I try to avoid touching them as much as possible.<\/p>\n 8. Now we peel. \u00a0If you try to do this when they are raw it’s like trying to peel a rock. \u00a0Now the skin will literally fall off. \u00a0My very professional technique involves stabbing the beet with a fork to keep it steady (they can be slippery) and rubbing the skin off with a paper towel. \u00a0Yes, I said a paper towel. \u00a0I keep one roll for messy emergencies and this counts.<\/p>\n 9. \u00a0Here are all the beets with their skins off. \u00a0They look like little jewels. \u00a0And you can really tell the difference between the purple and the striped ones.<\/p>\n 10. Cut them up into smaller pieces. \u00a0I prefer cubes but you could make slices too. \u00a0If there is oil still in the baking pan, pour it over the beets in a bowl with a splash of red wine vinegar. \u00a0TB like a little vinegar but I like to pour a lot on. \u00a0Do what you want.<\/p>\n My favorite way to eat beets is toss them on top of greens (arugula is my favorite) with goat cheese. \u00a0Beets and goat cheese go so well together. \u00a0They have a lovely earthy taste that will not remind you of a cheap salad bar.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n