Oh what to do with all those ruby beauties being plucked from the earth right here in our own backyard. It wasn’t that long ago that I hated beets. I’m not sure when or how I crossed over to being a fan. Maybe it was the addicting Golden Beet salad with Goat Cheese served at the Shipwreck in Brielle (I guess I was the only one addicted to it because they took it off the menu and I will never forgive them.)
Beets are grown commercially in thirty-one states but New Jersey is one of the main producers. Did you know that Beets have the highest natural sugar content of all vegetables and fresh beets have twice the folic acid and potassium of canned beets? The best way to cook Beets is in the oven. Boiling beets bleeds them of their color and nutrients. Roast beets in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes and do not peel them until after roasting. Beet greens can be served raw if they are young greens or sauteed in a little oil if mature. The following recipe comes from Epicurious Magazine and calls for 8 beets, but you will only use 4 bulbs.
Notes on this recipe: Add the horseradish sauce to the beets gradually and do some tasting as you go. I found that I didn’t need the whole batch of sauce and decided to use some directly on the meat instead. I also added a sauteed red onion to the Beet greens which I highly recommend. Just thinly slice a large red onion and saute on medium low until caramelized. Add greens and cover until tender.
Grilled Flank Steak with Sauteed Beet Greens and Creamy Horseradish
Beets
- 8 medium beets with green tops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- 3 tablespoons prepared white horseradish
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
Flank steak
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1 1/2-pound flank steak
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
For beets:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Trim green tops from beets; cut off stems and discard, reserving greens. Gently scrub 4 beets and set aside (reserve remaining beets for another use). Toss beets with 2 tablespoons oil in roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt. Cover pan with foil. Bake until beets are tender, about 50 to 60 minutes. Let beets stand covered at room temperature 20 minutes. Peel beets and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Whisk crème fraîche, horseradish, lemon juice, and minced shallot in medium bowl. Add beets and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature at least 20 minutes. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
For flank steak:
Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chopped rosemary, minced garlic, and ground black pepper in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add steak; turn to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove steak from marinade; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill steak to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add reserved beet greens; sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 3 minutes.
Thinly slice steak crosswise. Divide steak among 6 plates; surround with sautéed beet greens. Mound horseradish beets alongside.
I hope you will try this recipe and will come back to leave your comments here. If you have a great recipe for fresh Beets please leave us a link in the comments section. You can also email your recipes to JerseyBites (at) gmail.com.