Beet blood

[vgqn]

Many beets have given their lives for tonight's borscht feast. Actually, they were on their last legs anyhow, bolting due to the onset of warm weather. I roasted them yesterday while cooking and freezing several packages of beet greens (yum!), then made borscht with the roasted beets today, tasting each one to make sure it hadn't gone bitter. Most of them were still good, much to my surprise and pleasure.

I feel more secure knowing there are 4 quart containers of borscht in the deep freeze.

The varieties I grew this year were: Cylindra, Detroit Dark Red, Feuer Kugel, Golden, and Dewing's Early Blood Turnip. Love the name of that last one.

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

That sounds delicious.

What did you do with the greens?

B

[vgqn.livejournal.com]

I like my beet greens very simply prepared -- just steamed in the water that clings to their leaves. They have a distinctive flavor of their own, stronger than chard. Add a pat of butter when served -- it doesn't take much, but a bit of butter is transformational, imho. This large batch was frozen in small containers for future happy meals.

My parents both grew up eating beet greens, and so did we. The only way my mom cooked the beets themselves was pickled (I don't think she really liked them, actually), but we all adored the beet greens. It's sad how many people throw them away.

Though I have decided I just don't like the stems (often stringy), so I allow myself to compost those.