Beets - roots and greens

At this time of year when spring beets with their fresh greens are at the market, I like to cook them separately, then reunite them in this colorful dish that is flavorful without being too "beet-y".

When you get beets and their greens home from the market, cut the tops off and store them separately. Otherwise the roots will draw the liquid out of the greens and they will wilt.

Stored in the fridge, they will last a few days until you are ready to cook them.

This is a very simple recipe, suitable for these long spring evenings when you'd rather be out in the garden than in the kitchen.

And it's highly nutritious. Beets are full of iron and other minerals, they are good for the colon, the gall bladder, the kidneys, the eyes and heart -- well, actually they're good for the whole body.

(But then so are all vegetables. It makes for repetitive reading, but a true diversity of eating. We eat different vegetables every day, and still I look longingly at the varieties I have to leave behind at the market stalls.)

Anyway, beets are great. I hope you enjoy this colorful dish.

(If your beets don't have enough greens to make a decent dish - greens do shrink to practically nothing when they're cooked - then add any other green you like. Chard, spinach, kale, mustard greens, collard greens - they'd all be great in this dish.)

Beets - roots and greens
1 bunch beets with greens
1 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
olive oil and salt and pepper to taste

Cut the greens from the beets.

Scrub the roots, place them in a covered casserole, and bake at 350°F until tender, 25-60 minutes depending on their size. Let cool until you can handle them, then peel and dice, and toss with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, wash the greens well. Cut the stems at the base of the leaves, and then chop the stems into small pieces. Chop the leaves coarsely.

Warm the shallot in the olive oil. Add the beet stems and let cook a couple of minutes until soft. Stir in the greens along with any water remaining on their leaves. (If they're completely dry, add a tablespoon of water.) Stir well, then cover the pot. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are completely soft. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the greens on a serving plate. Pile the roots in the middle.

Let each diner add olive oil or balsamic vinegar to taste.

Serves 2-3 depending on the size of the beets.