Welcome back to our series Market Fresh, in which we take a look at one ingredient that's showing up in the city's Greenmarkets right now and tell you what to do with it. Last week, we looked at zucchini, and today we're checking out beets.
Beets are available year-round, but they come into their sweet peak in the middle of summer, when there's also a veritable rainbow of colors to choose from, from red to gold to pink and white. Salon calls them "The King Of Vegetables," praising their earthy, "sweet yet profoundly complex" flavor. When you buy beets at the market, don't cut the greens off—they're full of beta carotene, vitamin C and calcium, and are great quickly sauteed alongside the roots.
We spoke to Michael Cressotti, executive corporate chef of Greenmarket-loving The Mermaid Oyster Bar and both of The Mermaid Inns to find out what he does with the vegetable. “I enjoy cooking beets because they are so versatile," he says. "They can be steamed, roasted, sautéed or shaved and eaten raw in a salad. The color of beets are so rich, they immediately add depth to any dish. There are exciting varieties of beets available these days, including candy cane, ruby red, golden yellow—and with these varieties of beets come numerous ways of preparing them. I find that the Union Square farmer’s market and the Chelsea Market have a great selection to choose from.”
Michael Cressotti's Roasted Heirloom Beets
2 bunches organic heirloom baby red beets
2 bunches organic heirloom baby yellow beets
1 tbsp thinly sliced garlic
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
salt & pepper to taste
Cut the tops off the beets and reserve. Then wash beets and wrap in foil.
Roast at 325 degrees for one hour or until tender, and allow beets to cool before cutting in half.
Take the reserved beet tops and cut them into 3 inch pieces and blanch in boiling water for 20 seconds then let them cool in ice bath. Once the beet tops have cooled, squeeze out excess water and reserve.
Heat grapeseed oil in skillet and then add garlic and sauté until golden. Then add the beets and beet tops into skillet and sauté for 3 minutes until warm.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
