The greens of the beet were originally the only part of the plant that were consumed. Later, the sweetness of their root was discovered and its use as a concentrated source of sugar skyrocketed its popularity. When I think of beets my head immediately flags Borscht. Red, rich soup made at the worn wrinkled hands of Baba-my Polish grandmother. Steamed, roasted, pureed into drinks, grated raw… it’s an interestingly multifarious vegetable to work with, despite the inevitable affliction of red stained hands. Aside from the root I’ve always liked the greens not only for their flavor but also their dense nutritional content. This recipe uses the whole vegetable, which I like. I’m the type that when I eat an apple, all that remains of it is a handful of tiny seeds.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Trim the greens from the beets. Cut off and throw out the stems, coarsely chop the leaves and set them aside. Wrap each beet individually in foil and place them directly on to the oven rack. Roast until they are tender (90 minutes usually), give a squeeze or pierce with a fork to determine softness. Let cool before you peel, then cut into small wedges. Place in a medium sized bowl.
2. Place the beet greens in a saucepan of boiling water and allow them to cook for just a couple minutes. Drain them and do your best to squish out any excess water. I usually place them between a couple dry kitchen towels and press them on the counter just to make sure that they are nice and dry. Add the greens in with the beets. Peel the orange and chop it up, throw it in the bowl. With the onion- I like to caramelize it first but its good raw as well, make sure the onion slices are nice and thin and add them to the mix. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, walnut oil, garlic and orange peel. Pour over the beet mixture and toss so that everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Refrigerate this for an hour or so to allow the flavors to sink in. Before serving, toss in the walnuts.