Tangy Buttered Beets

Like many people for years my only encounter with beets was during the holidays and out of a can, an unpleasant experience to say the least. I never touched them. I didn't like the texture, color, or smell emanating from the can and it was many years later after college that I was served freshly roasted beets and I'll never forget my surprise that something could taste so different prepared with fresh ingredients. Beets have a buttery, earthy flavor and they are super easy to prepare at home. If tasting delicious isn't enough to sway you to try this recipe then consider that beets pack a nutritional punch as well. They are high in folate, manganese, and potassium and the stems and leafs are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron and calcium. So before you go chopping off the stems think twice, they cook up just as nicely as the beets themselves.

Beets come in purple, golden, or pink and white striped varieties and they all work interchangeably in this recipe. Look for beets with unblemished bulbs and bright green unwilted leaves for optimal flavor. First I removed the stems and leaves and washed them under cold running water. Then I used a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the beet root and cut them into quarters and diced them. I decided to try two different styles of preparation. In one pan I used plain tap water to steam the beets and a dijon mustard and tossed it with butter. In the other pot I had red wine vinegar and a spicy southwest mustard with butter. My husband and I both agreed that the red wine vinegar and spicy southwest mustard had more flavor, I thought the dijon had too much of a bite and I liked the subtle mustard flavor of the southwest sauce and a little kick of spice.

Keep a close eye on the level of liquid in your pan, it can scorch easily if left on the stove too long. Beets retain a good deal of their nutrition when steamed for less than 15 minutes if you need another reason to keep a close eye on your timer. I promise this recipe won't disappoint!

Adapted from a recipe from Whole Foods Market website.

Tangy Buttered Beets
Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 pounds beets, with stems and greens attached 

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or water)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons spicy southwest mustard (or your favorite fancy mustard)
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash beets and stems thoroughly under cold running water. Remove leafy greens from the stem and set leaves aside. Cut stems into 1 inch pieces. Peel and cut beets into 1-inch chucks and add to a bowl with stems.

Bring red wine vinegar to a boil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add beets and stems, cover and cook until almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle greens over the top, cover again and cook until beets, stems and greens are tender, adding more liquid if needed, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, toss with butter, spicy mustard, salt and pepper and serve hot, at room temperature or cold.