This week's column is written by Chef Tony Rechsteiner, who has been a chef for 39 years. Originally from Australia, he is a Certified Chef de Cuisine (C.C.C.) and instructor in CNC's Professional Cook Program.
Beets (Beetroot)
There is a long history of cultivation of beets stretching back as far as the second millennium BC.
The most well-known beets are the red or yellow beetroot or garden beets, some varieties are also grown for their leaves; some of the leaves on beets look a lot like chard and have cross bread for colour and flavour.
A lot of the sugar production comes from sugar beets that are grown in the Northern hemisphere; primarily in Europe, although there are large farmed areas in southern Alberta.
The leaves and stems of table beets are commonly eaten as a vegetable, prepared the same way as chard, either steamed or boiled and finished with butter, they can also be stir-fried.
The commonly deep red roots of the garden beet are eaten boiled either as a vegetable, or cold as a salad, after cooling and adding oil and vinegar. Pickled beets are also very common. In Eastern Europe, beet soup is very common, either hot or cold; containing meat or vegetarian dishes. A more modern preparation of beets is to roast them and use as a vegetable or they can be cooled and dressed to make a salad, the same as using boiled beets.
There has been some research lately that suggests that beet juice can lower blood pressure and has a strong antioxidant effect when added to the diet.
Balsamic Roasted Beets with Garlic and Thyme
Ingredients:
750 g peeled raw beets
60 ml Olive oil
30 ml Balsamic vinegar
30 ml Lemon juice
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
_ tsp sea salt
_ tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
120 gm butter cubed
Preparation
Cut the beets in half, or quarters if they are large. Spread the pieces in a single layer in a deep roasting dish, add the thyme.
Place oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, vinegar and garlic into a small bowl and mix well.
Pour the mixture over the beets and stir to coat evenly
Sprinkle the cubed butter over the beets and cover the pan with foil.
Put beets into a preheated 425 _F oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes. Use a paring knife or skewer to check for doneness, they need to be tender but not mushy.
Place beets onto a serving platter or bowl and drizzle with the cooking liquid. Garnish with some more fresh thyme and serve hot.
They can also be cooled and used as a salad.
