A stroll through the Union Square Greenmarket today yielded rainbow baby fingerling potatoes, some asparagus and a huge bundle of beets with the teeniest, tiniest little beets settled at the bottom of an enormous bunch of leaves.
Determined to use them, I washed and dried the leaves to await their fate.
It seemed like they could be used as one would use kale; massaged in a salad or sautéed lightly in olive oil. That assumption was correct, and our roasted beets were the perfect accompaniment.
Roasted Beets on a Bed of Sautéed Beet Greens:
Remove the beets from the leaves, and cut off the ends. Scrub them well, as it not necessary to peel them before roasting. (Especially these little tiny ones!)
Sprinkle with olive oil, and roast covered in a 400-degree oven for about 40-60 minutes until they are tender, depending on how large the beets are.
Set aside.
Wash and dry the beet greens, discarding the thick stems. Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add a chopped shallot, and a diced clove of garlic and stir. Sauté the beet greens for a few minutes until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the greens on a plate. Top with the roasted beets and drizzle with a little aged balsamic vinegar.
We also sprinkled a few toasted walnut pieces and some goat cheese over the beets to make it a heartier dish. Enjoy!
Photos: indigo jones
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