Last Saturday marked the start of the Farmers Market season here in Salt Lake City. Going to the market is a favorite event of mine. As you stroll through the booths, you can see which fruits and vegetables are in season (although, now that I am experimenting with square foot gardening I have some idea). In addition to produce there are locally made cheeses, breads, and of course pastries.
On Sunday, as I munched on lettuce, arugula, peas and asparagus, my brother experimented with cooking some beets he had purchased at the market:
Ingredients
8 beets with greens still attached, thoroughly washed
1/2 stick of butter
splash of olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
lemon juice, to taste
1/4 tsp. each of fresh parsley and thyme, chopped
1/2 cup hefeweizen (optional)
Directions
1. Thoroughly wash the beets, leaving the greens attached. You may cut of the skinny ends of the roots or any areas that look damaged.
2. Fill a medium to large sauce pan with salted water and bring to a boil.
3. Once the water is boiling, add the beet roots, but don't submerge the greens. Boil for about 25 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, push the greens into the water as well. Check if the beet roots are tender, then drain in a colander.
4. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan heat the butter and olive oil over low heat. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, and hefeweizen (optional). Let all of the ingredients simmer together. As it simmers, it will thicken a little.
5. Once the beets are drained, place in a large serving bowl. Pour the butter sauce over the beets and stir to coat evenly. Enjoy
Beets are very good at nourishing the blood and benefiting cardiovascular function.
