For each food, Dr. Jonny Bowden lists the health benefits associated with eating them. (See the full article at www.menshealth.com.)
Bowden says to think of beets as red spinach; both are terrific sources of folate and betaine. These two phytochemicals work together to lower blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage arteries and increase one’s risk of heart disease. To get the most nutrients out of beets, Bowden says to eat them raw, not from a jar, because heating beets decreases their antioxidant power.
But health benefits aside, I believe in eating vegetables because they taste good. And beets, chard and cabbage all taste good to me. Chard needs cooking to bring out its flavor, and cabbage may be eaten raw or cooked for two entirely different tastes.
Right now, our farmers markets are brimming with all sorts of vegetables, including beets, chard and cabbage. Go, shop, cook.
Red Beet Cake with Creamed Beet Greens
I’ve adapted this recipe from Michael Romano, chef/owner of Union Square Café in New York. He provided the inspiration for the beet cake. I’ve added the topping of creamed beet greens. Shredded raw beets, seasoned with garlic, thyme and salt, are tossed with flour to bind them together, and cooked in hot olive oil until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It’s like a giant latke. The cooking caramelizes the natural sugars in the beets. Be sure to use a nonstick skillet for best results. The creamed greens, seasoned with spicy horseradish, add a piquant contrast to the sweet beets.
Beet Cake
3 bunches beets (preferably small to medium, 2 to 3 inches in diameter) with vibrant greens
2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
Creamed Greens
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups cup milk, very hot
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons horseradish
Drops of lemon juice, if needed
Cooked beet greens
Cut the beets off the greens. You should have about 2 pounds of beets. Remove the stems from the greens. Wash the greens well, and put them into a large saucepan with about 1/2 cup water. Cover the pan and cook over medium high heat 4 to 5 minutes, until greens are wilted and tender. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid from the greens as you can and chop roughly.
Cut the ends off the beets. Peel the beets with a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler. Shred the beets in a food processor (easier and less messy) or with a box shredder (cover clothing to prevent spatters from beet juices). Put the beets into a large bowl and add the garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and half the flour. Toss well with your fingers. Add remaining flour and toss to combine well. The beets will be slightly pasty.
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When hot, and not before, add the beets (they’ll sizzle) and press them out with a spatula to form a thick, flat cake. Reduce the heat to medium and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until crispy on the bottom. Shake pan by its handle occasionally to make sure beets are not sticking.
Cover the skillet with a large platter and carefully invert the two. Return the skillet to the stovetop, and slide the beet cake back into the pan. Reshape into a circle, if necessary. Cook 8 to 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, for the creamed beet greens, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the milk all at once. Whisk well, return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is as thick as heavy cream. Remove the pan from the heat and season with salt, pepper and horseradish. Taste carefully and adjust seasoning as necessary. Stir in the prepared greens and keep warm over low heat.
To serve, slide beet cake onto a large platter, spoon the creamed greens on top, and cut into wedges. Eat while hot.
• Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Red Chard with Slivered Carrots
I’ve adapted this lovely recipe from Deborah Madison’s groundbreaking work “The Greens Cookbook” (Bantam, 1987). She points out that chard leaves and stems are almost two different vegetables in terms of texture and taste. In this dish, she combines them with slivers of carrots dressed with olive oil seasoned with dried red peppers and garlic. Serve warm or at room temperature to accompany grilled meats or fish.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 or 2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper flakes
1 bunch red Swiss chard (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 medium carrots
Sea salt
Lemon wedges
Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan with the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat. When the garlic slices are brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside. Take the pan off the heat; the olive oil and pepper flakes will be used later.
Separate the chard stems from the leaves. Cut the leaves into large pieces and wash well. Trim the uneven ends off the stems. Then, to make the stems as tender as possible, peel off the thin transparent outer skin of each stem. You can do this with a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler or with the tip of a sharp paring knife. If stems are long, cut them in half. Peel both sides of the stem. Cut the stems into 2-inch lengths, then lengthwise into narrow strips.
Peel the carrots, slice them into long, 1/4-inch diagonals, then into narrow strips.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the chard stems and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. Add the carrot strips and cook until tender,
1 to 2 minutes. Remove and drain. Plunge the chard leaves into the boiling water and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on quality and age of the chard. Transfer the chard to a colander and press on the leaves with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much water as possible.
Put the chard into a large bowl, add the carrots and chard stems, and add the olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes. Toss well and serve with the browned garlic, lemon wedges and sea salt.
• Makes 4 servings.
Asian-style Cabbage Slaw
I adapted this recipe from Jonny Bowden’s article. He suggests using it as a topping for burgers, sandwiches or serving as a side salad.
4 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon Asian chili oil
Salt to taste
1 head Napa cabbage, finely chopped or shredded
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, chili oil and salt. Add the cabbage, peanuts, carrot and cilantro. Toss well and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Makes about 6 cups.
Greg Patent is a food writer and columnist for the Missoulian and Missoula.com magazine. He also co-hosts a weekly show about food with Jon Jackson on KUFM Sundays at 11:50 a.m. His new cookbook, “A Baker’s Odyssey,” was a 2008 James Beard Award nominee. Visit Greg’s Web site at www.gregpatent.com. You can write him at chefguymt@gregpatent.com.
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