Stewed Beet Greens Recipes

SAUTEED BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Heat a medium saute pan coated with oil over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the beet greens and garlic, and toss until the greens are wilted and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and lemon zest and juice, and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

SAUTEED GREENS WITH VINEGAR

Steps:

• Shake the rinsed greens in a colander to remove the excess liquid, but the leaves don't have to be thoroughly dry.
• Heat a large pot over high heat until very hot. Add the olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the garlic and cook for a few seconds until it is light brown. Add a couple of handfuls of greens and toss with tongs, incorporating the garlic so it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.
• Add the remaining greens all at once, or in batches if your pot isn't large enough to hold it all at once. Toss constantly so the greens wilt evenly. When wilted, season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking over high heat, tossing often, until the excess liquid evaporates.
• Turn greens out into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature, then season with vinegar. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 days and eat cold.
• Michael's Notes: The wine vinegar will cause the greens to lose their beautiful green color. You can omit it, but I think it improves their taste.

STEWED BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Thinly slice beet stems to yield 3 cups; rinse well, and drain. Coarsely chop beet greens; rinse well, and drain. Set stems and greens aside.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
• Raise heat to medium-high. Add beet stems; cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add greens, and cook until wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice, and serve.

SIMMERED BEET GREENS WITH ROASTED BEETS, LEMON AND YOGURT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens away from the beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or lidded ovenproof casserole. Add 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast small beets (3 ounces or less) for 30 to 40 minutes, medium beets (4 to 6 ounces) 40 to 45 minutes, and large beets (8 ounces) 50 to 60 minutes, until easily penetrated with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the covered baking dish. Cut away the ends and slip off the skins. Slice or cut in wedges and set aside.
• While the beets are in the oven, stem the greens and wash in at least 2 changes of water. Place in a bowl.
• Heat a large, wide skillet over high heat and add the greens by the handful, stirring each handful until the greens wilt in the water left on the leaves after washing. Once one batch has wilted, add another until all of the greens are wilted. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, turn the heat down to low, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. The greens should be tender but still bright. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, toss the greens in the pan, taste and adjust seasoning. (Note: if you are not serving this right away, don't add the lemon juice, as it will change the bright color of the greens; instead, add shortly before serving).
• At this point you have the option of transferring the greens to a platter or serving the dish right from the pan. Whether in the pan or on a platter, arrange the beets on top of the greens. Drizzle on the remaining olive oil and squeeze on more lemon juice to taste. Mash the garlic to a purée with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle and stir into the yogurt. Place spoonfuls of yogurt over the top of the beets and beet greens, sprinkle on the walnuts and serve, with grains if desired.

STEAMED OR ROASTED BEETS AND BEET GREENS WITH TAHINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut greens away from beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems. Scrub beets with vegetable brush. To steam beets, place in a steamer above 2 inches water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cover. Turn down heat to medium. Steam small and medium beets for 30 minutes and large beets for 40 minutes, until you can pierce the beet to the middle with a knife or skewer. Remove from heat and allow to cool. To roast, preheat oven to 425ºF and place beets in a baking dish (or lidded ovenproof casserole). Add 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast small beets (3 ounces or less) for 30 to 40 minutes, medium beets (4 to 6 ounces) 40 to 45 minutes, and large beets (8 ounces) 50 to 60 minutes, until they are easily penetrated with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the covered baking dish.
• When beets have cooled, cut away ends and slip off skins. Slice in rounds or cut into wedges or half-moons.
• Blanch greens in salted boiling water for about 1 minute, just until they wilt. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out excess moisture, taking up the greens by the handful. Alternatively, steam for 2 minutes, using tongs to flip the greens over top to bottom halfway through, for 2 minutes, or until wilted. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop coarsely.
• To make sauce, purée garlic cloves with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle, or put through a garlic press. Transfer to a bowl or measuring cup and whisk in sesame tahini. Whisk in lemon juice, beginning with smaller amount. The mix will stiffen up. Gradually whisk in up to 1/4 cup water, until sauce has consistency of thick cream or runny yogurt. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
• Line a platter with the beet greens and arrange beets on top and around greens. Drizzle on tahini sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

EASY BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Wash beet greens and drain. Chop stems and leaves separately.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over low heat and cook garlic until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add greens and allow to wilt, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.

SAUTEED BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beet-green stems and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Add beet-green leaves and 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and serve.