Baby beets from Norma's Produce in Colonial Beach from the South of the James Farmers Market (Photo by Lauren Baldwin)
BEET BASICS
Buying: Look for firm, dense roots, ideally with greens attached. Store the greens separately and use quickly. Beets keep well for the long haul and lend themselves to canning and pickling.
Cooking: Roast beets on a layer of kosher salt to pull out their moisture and sweetness. The bitter, lemony greens can jazz up a winter salad when sauteed with garlic and olive oil.
ON THE BEET
Unapologetically earthy, the beet has been a fixture since the beginning of recorded culinary history, when the leafy top, not the fibrous roots, made it to the table. As the plant was cultivated, the root eventually became the prize.
AROUND RVA
Perly's: Forgoing the tomato for beets, the Bloody Miriam has a rim of everything spice, and it’s loaded with house-made pickles.
North End Juice Co.: Golden beets provide the “meat” in North End Juice Co.’s vegan poke bowl, mimicking fish in a clever way.
Dinamo: Sweet beets cozy up to crisp fennel and fresh greens in Dinamo’s filling salad. Spring for the extra feta — you’re worth it
Photo by Derek Bennion
"Working in wine country, I discovered varieties of beets I didn’t know existed." —Danielle Goodreau, executive chef, Big Kitchen Hospitality
COOK LIKE A LOCAL
Beets, Spelt and Spinach Salad
By Danielle Goodreau, executive chef at Big Kitchen Hospitality
Chef Danielle Goodreau likes to add color and texture to dishes by pairing roasted beets with thinly sliced raw beets. She also pulls together a healthy trifecta — beets, spelt and spinach — with help from her nutty and tart tahini dressing, a clever combination of elements that holds well for potlucks, should you feel inclined to share.
20 grams watercress
60 grams spinach
150 grams roasted baby beets, quartered
3 cilantro sprigs, leaves only
5 mint leaves, torn
40 grams cooked spelt
5 grams toasted sunflower seeds, chopped
75 grams tahini dressing (see below)
3 grams sesame seeds, toasted
Reserve dressing. All other ingredients can be combined.
Tahini Dressing
275 grams sesame seeds, lightly toasted, very little color, fragrant
6 tablespoons grapeseed oil
24 grams kosher salt
125 grams lemon juice, fresh
600 grams water, cold
150 grams honey
20 grams Dijon mustard
Place the sesame seeds and oil in a blender and puree at medium speed. Push down any seeds that stick to the side, then slowly increase the speed, continuing to scrape down the sides until a paste is formed. Once it’s smooth and loose, add the remaining ingredients. The mixture should be very loose, as it will thicken over time. Store in an airtight container under refrigeration.
