Don't listen to the naysayers. It is perfectly possible for someone who does not like beets to go on and lead a productive life, probably. O A distaste for beets does not absolutely guarantee a dreary existence of loneliness and despair. Why, some people who disdain beets have even gone on to have nearly ordinary lives with some measure of personal fulfillment and a fleeting hint of happiness. O But really, the surest way to find joy and love is to eat beets. O Beets are full of all sorts of things that are good for you (vitamin C, fiber, potassium, manganese and more). But more important than that, they taste good.
No, they taste great.
Beets are a paradox. They are earthy, almost foresty. But they have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, so they are also sweet. It is this unusual combination of flavors that makes them so versatile.
You can puree them into soup, either hot or cold. You can serve them roasted or you can put them into salads. You can even turn them into a dip.
I started with the dip first, following the rationale of this syllogism: Everybody likes hummus. Some people like beets. Therefore, hummus made out of beets will appeal to a lot of people, I hope.
Hummus made from beets is just like hummus that is made from chickpeas, only it has beets. You even serve it the same way, with pita wedges, crudites or as a spread in a vegetarian sandwich.
And it is even easier to make than ordinary hummus, because it has fewer ingredients. All you need to do is mix the beets with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and salt, and blend them until they are silky smooth.
Of course, you have to roast the beets first, as you must do with nearly every way of serving them. Just wrap them in foil (some recipes need them to be rubbed in olive oil first) and roast them in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until you can pierce them to the center with a knife or a fork. Then, when they have cooled down enough that you can touch them, simply rub the skin off with a paper towel.
My second dish, Spicy Roasted Golden Beets, was even easier. I did not even need the aluminum foil _ I just tossed the beets with cumin, paprika, salt and a touch of chili powder, and roasted them on a baking sheet.
The hardest part was finding the golden beets. I had to call two stores. But I think it was worth it, because golden beets are a little sweeter even than red beets, and their taste is milder, less earthy.
White beets are also mild, but they can be hard to find. Candy-cane beets, which are technically called chioggia, are the most fun of all because they are made of concentric red and white circles. However, you can never count on finding them.
I went back to red beets for my next dish, Beet and Carrot Soup, because part of the dish's appeal is its gloriously vibrant color.
It is a vegetable soup _ all the beet dishes I made are vegetarian _ but the beets somehow make it more than that. You begin by sauteing carrots with onions and leeks, then adding garlic and vegetable stock. Only after the flavors have melded do you mix in the roasted beets before pureeing it all.
The late addition of the beets assures that they are the predominant flavor in the soup, with the aromatics in the background and the carrots providing depth and a hint of sweetness.
The original recipe calls for this soup to be served hot, but I tried it both hot and cold, and it is hearty and satisfying either way.
For my last beet dish, I took full advantage of the classic combination of beets and oranges. It is a simple salad, with beets mixed with a dressing of olive oil and sherry vinegar while they are still warm to absorb the flavors. The beets are scattered with pieces of orange over a bed of peppery arugula.
A dusting of cheese on top _ the original recipe calls for ricotta salata, but goat cheese will also do nicely _ and a sprinkling of sliced almonds, and you have a wonderful, light salad.
The combination of sweet flavors (the orange and the beets), tartness (the orange and the vinegar), earthiness (the beets and the nuts), creaminess (the cheese) and bite (the arugula) is enough to convince even the most partisan naysayers of the worthiness and versatility of beets.
