Can’t Beet It

The late British food writer Jane Grigson said of the beet: “It is not an inspiring vegetable, unless you have a medieval passion for highly colored food. With all that purple juice bleeding out at the slightest opportunity.”

But Grigson did give a number of very tasty recipes because, purple juice notwithstanding, beets are deservedly popular. Perhaps they will become even more so when golden beets and white beets become more widely available. Both of these non-bleeding colors have been around for a long time, but only recently has the rage for fancy vegetables brought them out of home gardens and into the marketplace.

Chioggia beets are the fanciest--candy-striped red and white in concentric circles--but the color dulls and bleeds when they are cooked. Cut raw Chioggias in paper-thin slices and either dress them with a light vinaigrette or enjoy the color and flavor with dips.

Fancy or old-fashioned, all beets take a long time to cook and lose flavor if scrubbed too hard or trimmed too close; they bleed into the cooking water. For best results, pack beets in a shallow pan with a few spoonfuls of water, cover tightly with foil and bake in a slow oven (300-350 degrees) until they give slightly. (Protect the squeezing hand with a paper towel folded over several times.)

Unpeeled cooked beets will last several days in the refrigerator, and they freeze well. Simply reheat with butter, or saute slices in olive oil with a sliver or two of garlic. Puree them with potatoes and serve with grilled fish or chicken, or thin the puree with buttermilk for a quick, pink velvet soup. Saute apples and onions until golden, add beets and you have a lovely accompaniment for a pork roast.

The play of smoky grilled vegetables, sweet beets and sharp lemon dressing makes this a satisfying salad. Small portions are a good vegetable accompaniment to warming dishes such as scalloped potatoes or fish chowder; large ones are filling enough to be the main dish at lunch or supper, especially if there’s plenty of crusty bread--and maybe some hard-cooked eggs--to go along.

SMOKY AUTUMN SALAD WITH BEETS AND WALNUTS

2 large onions, cut in 1/3-inch slices

3 sweet peppers, preferably 1 red and 2 green

4 medium beets

1 to 1 1/2 pounds beet greens, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

About 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

Salt

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Grill onions until well flecked with brown, then cut in 1/2-inch chunks. Grill sweet peppers. Peel and cut in 1/2-inch strips. Steam beets in boiling, salted water. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Steam beet greens until just tender. Drain.

Whisk olive oil with garlic, lemon juice and dill in bowl. Combine 2 tablespoons dressing with beets. Season to taste with salt. Mix remaining dressing with onions and peppers. Season to taste with salt.

Drain excess dressing from onions and peppers and pour over beet greens, mixing well. Cool to room temperature. Season to taste with salt.

Make bed of beet greens on serving platter. Arrange marinated beets and onion-pepper mixture decoratively on top. Sprinkle walnuts on top and serve at once. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Marinated vegetables will keep refrigerated 2 or 3 days. Serve at room temperature for best flavor. Nuts will become soggy if left in dressing; add just before serving to assure maximum crunch. If beet greens have scanty or tired foliage, substitute Swiss chard.