April 28, 2015 - Radio Kitchen - Baby Beets
Maryland farmers are turning out some of their best produce at this time of year, when the emphasis seems to be on young and tender. It's when we see a lot of the "baby" versions of our food, and one of the more interesting is the baby beet.
What has made baby beets more interesting in recent years is the emergence of new varieties. Aside from the usual red beets, you can find golden varieties, candy stripe, the similar red and white bulls eye chioggia, and the pale white blancoma.
We all peel full sized beets, which is a somewhat messy process... do over your sink! The prospect of peeling raw baby beets is daunting, so follow this advice from Jerry.
Roasting Baby Beets
Scrub them well under warm running water to remove any dirt. Cut the greens off approximately one inch above the top of the best any remove the bottom root if it is very long.
Toss them in a little olive oil. Wrap them in aluminum foil, place them on a baking sheet and roast them in a 350F oven until fork tender. About 45 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
Once cool, rub the skin off with your fingers. You may also use a paring knife it the skin doesn't come off easily.
Pickled Baby Beets
1 lb. roasted baby beets, cut in half
5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise.
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 small hot chili pepper cut in half lengthwise (optional)
In a nonreactive sauce pan set over medium-high heat, bring all the ingredients except the beets to a boil. Add the beats. Once the liquids returns to a boil, remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Store the beets in the liquid in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to six months.
