beetroot tops

[magnolia]

I understand that beetroot tops are edible (but are they good?). The only recipe I can find that uses them is one for stir fry and that's not my thing. What else can I do with them? Thanks!

[Behemoth]

Just had some last night (see Dinner thread). Use them absolutely anywhere you would use swiss chard leaves. They are almost exactly the same. Stuffed pastas, pastries, you can even use them instead of grape leaves for dolmas (use extra lemon).

[NulloModo]

You could use the standard southern style method of cooking greens: slow simmer all day with a ham hock, some onion, and a little bit of garlic.

Serve with fresh diced onion and a little bit of vinegar over top.

[Behemoth]

You could use the standard southern style method of cooking greens:  slow simmer all day with a ham hock, some onion, and a little bit of garlic. 

Don't know -- they are more delicate than collards or kale, would probably dissolve with that kind of treatment. They are good cooked with bacon but I wouldn't go more than 40 minutes. I got my ideas from Elisabeth Schneider's book, Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini. That book is indispensable for those "just got all kinds of weird stuff from the farmer's market, now what?" typa days.

I also forgot, there's the frittata/quiche option.

(edited to attempt the Amazon link thingy).

Edited June 13, 2004 by Behemoth (log)

[JAZ]

My favorite way to prepare beets is in salads. When I get beets with fresh greens, I blanch the greens and use them along with the beets in the salad.

Oh, and I completely agree about Vegetables From A to Z. Fabulous.

[Pickles]

Beet greens lightly cooked....yummy.

Beet greens overcooked.... Mucous.

[Adam Balic]

In Liguria ( and parts of Tuscany) there is a style of cooking known as "Zimino" which used beetroot tops (Swiss chard is a common substitute), sometimes Chefs alter the recipe to use the roots, but the tops are traditional. The most common recipe I have seen is with cuttlefish, but squid or chickpeas etc work well.

Recipe

[magnolia]

Thanks for all of this ! And for the book recommendation too !

[Suzanne F]

And Schneider has a terrific recipe for the stems, too! Basically pickled and spiced. I made it some time ago, and only opened it the other day: keeps very well, and is a terrific accompaniment to Indian food, just like a chutney. And it is beautiful.

That is one of the best books, EVER. (Last year it won three IACP awards, including Cookbook of the Year. very much deserved.)

[primowino]

In Liguria ( and parts of Tuscany) there is a style of cooking known as "Zimino" which used beetroot tops (Swiss chard is a common substitute), sometimes Chefs alter the recipe to use the roots, but the tops are traditional. The most common recipe I have seen is with cuttlefish, but squid or chickpeas etc work well.

Recipe

The ligurians seem to use Swiss Chard with a variety of white fish and I have also seen several references to a traditional pie made with Swiss Chard and Ricotta. The latter sounds unusual, hopefully I'll give it a try when I stay near Recco next month.

[Adam Balic]

In Liguria ( and parts of Tuscany) there is a style of cooking known as "Zimino" which used beetroot tops (Swiss chard is a common substitute), sometimes Chefs alter the recipe to use the roots, but the tops are traditional. The most common recipe I have seen is with cuttlefish, but squid or chickpeas etc work well.

Recipe

The ligurians seem to use Swiss Chard with a variety of white fish and I have also seen several references to a traditional pie made with Swiss Chard and Ricotta. The latter sounds unusual, hopefully I'll give it a try when I stay near Recco next month.

Most likely a recipe similar to this:

For some reason I never understood, we call the Zucchini flowers "Fiori di Zucca" and not "Fiori di Zucchini", so this is a recipe for

TORTA DI FIORI DI ZUCCA

Ingredients:

For the dough:

-200 gr flour

-3 tbsp EVOO

-1 egg yolk

-Salt

-2-3 tbsp warm water

Make the dough and keep aside for 30 mins.

For the filling:

-250 gr ricotta

-1 egg

-about 100 gr zucchini flowers

-1 small onion (or a scallion)

-1/2 handful fresh chopped parsley

-1 pinch fresh marjoram

-EVOO

-S&P

Mix the ricotta, egg, herbs; season with S&P.

Mince the onion and fry it very gently in EVOO until soft.

Clean the zucchini flowers, wash and wipe them carefully.

Coarsely cut them in stripes and fry them together with the onion for 1 minute. Cool them down.

With the 2/3 of the dough, line the bottom of a round baking dish (greased with some EVOO), pour the ricotta filling and then arrange the zucchini/onion mixture over the filling. Cover with the remaining dough, sealing carefully the edge. Bake at 350° until golden on top.

Variations: you can make the filling with half zucchini flowers and half zucchini, cut in slices. If you like a tastier filling, add a handful of grated parmesan to the ricotta.

(a recipe by Pongi)

[mjr_inthegardens]

I like Beet Greens steamed with the sliced roots in a pot with a few pats of butter, S&P and red pepper flakes if you like a kick... 20 mins give or take.