Beet greens: stems and tops

[LuckyGirl]

Ever since I was a little girl one of my favorite things has been beet stem pancakes. Chop the beet stems, toss with a little more than equal amount of flour then add water until batter is about the thickness of pancake batter (batter works best when it is on the loose side). Drop spoonfuls of the batter into hot oil and fry on each side until dark brown. Salt as soon as they come out of the pan.

[mskerr]

Hi all -

I am making a few quarts of beetroot chutney today (Kiwi burgers for dinner tonight) and I have heaps and heaps of beet greens from my garden. There's no shortage of recipes for sauteed beet greens (and yes, I have Gabrielle Hamilton's), but I have some specific questions:

- Are my beet greens too old if the beets were planted 4 months ago? Everyone says to use young beet greens. Some of my greens are a bit pale or beat up, but most of them seem fine, if not necessarily vibrant.

- Should I instead be collecting some beet greens when the beets are younger? Will it hurt the beets' growth to harvest a few greens well before harvesting the beets?

- I have directions for freezing beet greens. The stems are discarded, but some people say they freeze the stems separately. Any experience with this?

- I've also heard of pickling beet stems. Again, any experience?

- How long will beet stems last in the fridge while I decide what to do with them?

- I read in Marcella Hazan's book the other days that greens do not keep well and should be eaten the day they are cooked. Are there preparations that will keep over a few days in the fridge?

- I was thinking about slow-cooking the greens with some salt pork, onion, and stock. But I have also read that they are best quickly sauteed. Do they work equally well with slow and fast cooking, or is one method superior?

Cheers!

Edited to add: I have heaps of swiss chard stems as well. Also wondering about freezing and pickling.

Edited September 12, 2012 by mskerr (log)

[heidih]

As in many situations you have to use your taste as a guide. Beet greens are beet-like in their earthiness. I like them in soups and green purees (cut with spinach and parsley). I used to get them for free from the local farm stand when they took them off the mature beets for customers (summer crop) and used even the buggy beaten ones.I like them with coconut milk in a soupy stew.

As to removing young leaves - if your intent is to eat sweet tender beets I do not think you want to stress them too much by removing any significant portion of their energy source

As to storage of the cooked greens I have never noticed any difference between beet greens and others. Make sure they are cook when you refridgerate and make sure you fridge is holding a decent temp.

I tried pickling the stems once with a recipe from Elizabeth Schneider's lovely Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini and was horrified - into the bin they went.

[mskerr]

Cheers for the info!

When you mentioned green purees - what do you use them for? I've been wanting to try a recipe from Paula Disbrowe for Arroz Mucho Verde, and she purees a mix of things like spinach, poblano, jalapeños or serranos, cilantro, parsley (it can vary) with chicken stock and simmers her rice in that. Do you think beet greens (or Swiss chard) would work in something like that?

Edited bc autocomplete reckons it should be "green purses"

Edited September 13, 2012 by mskerr (log)

[heidih]

I adore greens so I just eat them with rice or potatoes. Mixing the greens and cooking along the lines of an Indian saag is lovely (I am not the Heidi in the link). Beet greens might be too assertive in a green rice but if you have so many and rice is cheap - give it a whirl and let us know.

[mskerr]

I adore greens so I just eat them with rice or potatoes. Mixing the greens and cooking along the lines of an Indian saag is lovely (I am not the Heidi in the link). Beet greens might be too assertive in a green rice but if you have so many and rice is cheap - give it a whirl and let us know.

The problem is I thought I liked chard a lot more than I apparently do. I love kale, but chard is a bit bitter for me... But of course, it is the one thing that has been absolutely flourishing in my garden all summer long! Plus, I probably have to dress it up a bit to get my mate to eat it. Might give the saga pander a go though! Thank you.

[Beebs]

As in many situations you have to use your taste as a guide. Beet greens are beet-like in their earthiness. I like them in soups and green purees (cut with spinach and parsley). I used to get them for free from the local farm stand when they took them off the mature beets for customers (summer crop) and used even the buggy beaten ones.I like them with coconut milk in a soupy stew.

Heidih, do you have a recipe for the greens in coconut milk? I just brought home a haul of chard from our CSA, I think that would be a great way to use it up! TIA!

[heidih]

Greens in coconut milk - I did a soup here in my eG food blog. For a simple prep I just use the heavy cream from the top of the coconut milk can to saute garlic/green onion/other onion (as you have or please) with some hot pepper, ginger or whatever spice strikes your fancy. Then pile in the greens with salt and black pepper - covering to allow steaming. Adding coconut milk as needed to keep things going. I often use fish sauce as the salt factor when using coconut milk and season at the end with some lime or lemon juice to taste.

[LindaK]

Sauteed, finely chopped greens make a good filling for fresh pasta, w/ a little cheese to bind.

For your chard, blanch the large leaves and stuff them. Meat, vetegarian, either will work.

If you are using broad-stemmed chard (the wide white stems), you can blanch them and then gratinee or stuff them

Chard grows well in my garden too, and I often make farcous, swiss chard pancakes, to use it up. Photo here.

[mskerr]

Sauteed, finely chopped greens make a good filling for fresh pasta, w/ a little cheese to bind.

For your chard, blanch the large leaves and stuff them. Meat, vetegarian, either will work.

If you are using broad-stemmed chard (the wide white stems), you can blanch them and then gratinee or stuff them

Chard grows well in my garden too, and I often make farcous, swiss chard pancakes, to use it up. Photo here.

Despite pasta-making being on my list of goals for the last year or so, I just haven't motivated myself to get around to it yet. I read recently in one of Marcella Hazan's books that many Italian women can whip up a batch of fresh pasta in the time it would take to cook dried pasta (or something like that), but I remember when my dad made it once or twice a year, it was an all-day affair. In retrospect, perhaps Allman Brothers soundtrack + a bit of herb have someone to do with that?

In any event - do you recommend beet greens/Swiss chard in stuffed shells? And if so, can you refer me to any recipes or guidelines? Or any other green-filled pasta recommendations?

Thank you!

[LindaK]

There's no reason you can't add chopped cooked greens (maybe some garlic cooked along with it) to regular pasta. I'd use penne or something else that will catch the bits of green, along with some parm cheese. If you need meat, perhaps add some crumbled sauteed sausage. If you want to fill shells, try a ricotta/parm base, seasoned as you like, and mix in the cooked greens. I've never done it but it sounds good to me.

[mskerr]

There's no reason you can't add chopped cooked greens (maybe some garlic cooked along with it) to regular pasta. I'd use penne or something else that will catch the bits of green, along with some parm cheese. If you need meat, perhaps add some crumbled sauteed sausage. If you want to fill shells, try a ricotta/parm base, seasoned as you like, and mix in the cooked greens. I've never done it but it sounds good to me.

Sounds awesome, thanks. I have been craving some Italian-American favorites from my childhood, and just about everybody seems to loves them, so the stuffed shells could be a crowd-pleaser for this weekends' guests. Cheers!

Edited for spelling again,

Edited September 14, 2012 by mskerr (log)

[Allura]

One of the ways I use up extra greens is by putting them in a quiche. It makes a good breakfast/lunch for a few days.

[blue_dolphin]

Earlier this year, beebs asked for suggestions for using an avalanche of greens over on the Farmer's Market/CSA thread so you might take a look over there. I know there were some suggestions that I want to follow up on when the melons in my CSA box subside and the greens take off again.

Wrong season now, but my personal favorite beet green dish is made with the early season row thinnings of tender young beet greens with their tiny little beets (my dad called them beetlets - so cute ) attached. They're perfect when the beets are big enough to be beets but small enough to cook along with the greens. Ahhhh spring! Though I guess here in So Cal, one could grow these now. Hmmmm.

[Shel_B]

Recently Toots signed us up for a CSA box, and yesterday we received some beets, with their greens attached. Toots would like me to prepare something using the greens. I don't care for beets, and have never cooked with beet greens, however, I'd like to make something for her using the greens. Any suggestions beyond a sauté with garlic, red pepper, oil and some vinegar.

Edited August 30, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Chris Amirault]

We always keep it simple: wilt with a bit of butter, splash in your favorite vinegar, serve. I love beet greens.

[OliverB]

saute with some garlic, salt, pepper. I use the stems too, just throw them in before the greens and cook until soft, doesn't take long.

then take the beets, wash them well, put in heavy duty aluminum foil with a bit of red wine vinegar, anise seeds, a bit of oil, S&P. Wrap tightly and stick in 400 degree oven for an hour or so. Let cool a bit, unwrap, slide off skin. Slice and put in glass bowl. Add all the juices, some more oil and vinegar, some sugar, s&p, let marinate for a good while. Kind of quick pickling them. Taste, adjust, taste. If you then really don't like them you really don't like them, but I've converted quite some people that way, they only knew the crap you can buy in glasses or cans in the store up to then...

[msfurious1]

That Toots is something else. Always asking you to come up with recipe ideas and cooking.

Use them like any green. The easy way is to just saute as you said and top crostini or add to a pasta dish.

You're missing out on not liking beets, Shel. They're nature's candy.

[Shel_B]

That Toots is something else. Always asking you to come up with recipe ideas and cooking.

Use them like any green. The easy way is to just saute as you said and top crostini or add to a pasta dish.

You're missing out on not liking beets, Shel. They're nature's candy.

Toots asks me, then ask you ...

I'm going to try making a beet green and kale pesto served over Barilla's multi-grain penne pasta and maybe add some sun dried tomatoes or diced roasted beets.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I seldom buy beets but I like organic raw beet leaves as a salad.

[dcarch]

Beet greens are nice.

The problem is when you buy them, they are all messed up and dry.

I grow beets in a window pot just for the greens.

Also, cook the stems separate, they take longer to get tender.

dcarch

[Ttogull]

I like charred beets and their greens. Here's a post I wrote:

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/144656-the-grilling-topic/?p=1927930

[Corymoto]

Rick Bayless has a simple/rustic "-greens" taco filling recipe in Mexican Kitchen that my wife and I like a lot. I've made it with beet greens and it works just fine. Basically, brown a sliced onion in some olive oil, add a few cloves of minced garlic, then add greens (either pre-boiled and drained or not) saute as required and add a good hit of salt. That on a fresh corn tortilla with some tomatillo salsa, a bit of crema and/or cheese (I like anything from dry jack to queso fresco) makes a fantastic, easy meal. Sometimes I'll add just a pinch of xanthan gum to keep all the juices in check.

[chileheadmike]

The last time I had some I rough cut them and tossed them into a pot of chicken and andouille gumbo.

[Baselerd]

If they arent nice enough to eat fresh you can try to make some vegetable ash with them.