Steamed Beet Greens Food

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.

SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the beet greens, and cook uncovered until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the greens are cold, drain well, and coarsely chop.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the greens until oil and garlic is evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper. Cook just until greens are hot; serve with lemon wedges.

HOW TO COOK BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Trim the beet greens from the beets. Leave a good inch of stem attached to the beets because that's best for roasting beets (it stops the beets from bleeding red as much if you don't actually cut into their flesh). Set beets aside for another use.
• Cut the stems and leave into 2 inch pieces. Put the pieces into a colander and rinse them really well. Often there is a lot of sandy, grainy dirt on the stems and leaves and you want to get rid of that.
• Put about an inch of water into a medium sauce pan and bring it to a boil.
• Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir it in.
• Add your stems and leaves to the sauce pan.
• Bring back to a boil over high heat and then stir and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 3-5 minutes until a stem is very soft when pierced with a fork.
• Drain the beet greens. Be sure to use a clean colander. You don't want the dirt from before to end up on your cooked greens.
• Return the beet greens and stems to the sauce pan or a serving dish and add about 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Stir and taste. Add salt if desired.

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.

DRIED BEET GREEN POWDER

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash and dry beet greens. Remove fleshy stems.
• Place raw beet greens on dehydrator tray or a cookie sheet lined with a towel.
• To use a dehydrator: Set temperature to 100 degrees. Dry until greens are crispy. (About 6-to-8 hours.)
• To dry in your car: Place trays of beet greens in a closed vehicle that's sitting in the warm sun. Dry until greens are crispy.
• To air dry: Place trays of beet greens in a warm area, out of direct sunlight. Dry until greens are crispy.
• Place dried beet greens in the bowl of a food processor or blender.
• Pulse to break up large greens, then process until you've achieved a fine powder.
• Store in an airtight jar.

SAUTéED BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Rinse the stalks and leaves two or three times in cold water to remove all the dirt.
• Separate stalks from the leaves; don't worry about drying them. Coarsely chop the leaves and cut the stalks into 1 1/2 to 2-inch lengths.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium high heat. Sauté the beet stalks and spices for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté another minute, stirring constantly, then dump the stalks into a bowl.
• Melt the butter in the same skillet or a large pot and sauté the leaves until wilted, roughly 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle on salt to taste. Mix with the sauteed stalks and squeeze the fresh lemon juice on top. Serve immediately.

BEET GREENS & MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Wash and chop the beet greens, removing the stems.
• Halve the mushrooms, and wipe off any dirt.
• Heat the olive oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat, and then add the beet greens and garlic. Saute for one minute.
• Chop and add the green onions and cilantro.
• Add the Soy Sauce (I usually use low sodium) and Mirin, and stir,.
• Add the mushrooms, saute for 2 minutes.
• Put a lid on the pot, and allow everything to steam for 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and are tender & juicy.

BASIC STEAMED KALE

Steps:

• *Note: some cooks prefer to leave kale ribs and stalks intact-your choice. Depending on the variety of kale, if the stalks and ribs are thick, I remove them. A salad spinner is handy for washing the kale.
• Shred kale finely and place in a steamer basket fitted in a pot. Don't forget to add a couple inches of water to the pot!
• Throw in the garlic.
• Bring water to the boil. Cover pan, reduce heat to low and steam kale for approximately 10 minutes, or until tender.
• Remove from heat to serving dish. Toss with a little bit of oil of choice, if desired.
• Season with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.