The beets go on!

It is amazing how September 1st arrives in the Hudson Valley. Even if this day breaks swinging a heated sledge hammer, there are still signs that cooler weather is on the way. During the last week, the blue jays have changed their calls (they always remind me of busy 1950s police officers in blue uniforms with pointed hats), the starlings are beginning to gather (good riddance!) and gorgeous mists rest on the river (before lifting up just enough to blanket us in hellish humidity.) Big yellow school buses will soon start rumbling around our roads and, well… I do believe it’s time for a cocktail contest!

But, first, some thoughts on eating well as the seasons change. We are very lucky to have weekly Farmers’ Markets that continue throughout the off-season. Right now, selections offer the best of summer’s fresh and the newest of autumn’s “keepers.” Keepers are vegetables that store well without any effort on our part. These include onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, leeks, shallots, beets and all the glorious winter squash. (“It’s blue; it’s beautiful; it’s BIG! What to do with a whole Hubbard, coming up soon in PCN&R Gardening Gusto.) Buy keepers now, store in a cool, dark place where country critters can’t get at them, and you will have farm-fresh ingredients to cook during the cold, snowy days of winter.

Oh, I can hear the howls now: “Why would anyone bother stocking up on things like carrots and—Yeeks— BEETS!?” Yes, for sure, just about everyone had a Wretched Root Vegetable Experience as a kid, usually involving some disaster of a dish that required hours of boiling. Here’s my take: I either buy or grow organic keepers (especially important as these roots are plant storehouses… and who wants to eat a storehouse of chemicals?) and keep them in brown paper bags in a cool closet. Then, when I feel like a fresh vegetable to accompany a wintery dinner, I dive into my closet for something tasty. I am far too lazy to peel: I simply scrub hard—leaving the skins intact— barely drizzle them with olive oil and sea salt, and roast in a cast iron skillet until fork-tender. If you don’t want to eat the peeling, these vegetables slip out of their skins very easily after they are cooked.

Hmmm, I am still feeling some resistance out there to beets. I can tell you that I gagged on many a warm, vile, pickled beet as a kid. However, Beet- O- Rama, redolent of earthy sweetness, became one of my kids’ favorite fall dishes. Right now beets with their greens intact are at Vera’s and the market. Swoop some up and enjoy bridging the gap between summer’s fresh and autumn’s keepers.

Beet-O-Rama

Beets are best when served au naturel. Small-ish is better and don’t peel. Adjust quantities to suit your needs. This dish can be served hot or cold, making a perfect dinner for September days that ricochet between sweaters and bathing suits.

For Beets Fresh beets with greens 1 Tablespoon olive oil Sea salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Remove greens and set aside. Scrub beets but do not peel.

3. Cut beets in half lengthwise. If large, cut again into quarters.

4. Pour oil into cast iron skillet. Add beets and shake pan until all glisten with oil. Salt if desired.

5. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until soft enough to pierce with a knife.

For Greens 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2/3 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2 pieces good bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces (omit if desired)

1 small Yukon gold potato, unpeeled, cubed

Chicken broth or vegetable stock Freshly ground pepper Cider vinegar

Feta cheese, crumbled

1. While beets are roasting, wash greens and chop roughly.

2. In cast iron skillet on medium heat on stove, warm olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, bacon, and potato.

3. Add just enough broth to cover the mixture, scraping up cooked bits on the bottom. Set lid askew on skillet and cook on low until potatoes can be pierced with a knife.

4. Add beet greens to mixture, with additional liquid to barely cover greens. Cover and cook until greens are tender.

5. To compose dish: Move cooked greens mixture to platter and lightly dress with cider vinegar. Add pepper to taste. Spoon roasted beets on top. Sprinkle with Feta: YUM! it don’t get no betta!

Cocktail Contest

You may have noticed that I enjoy making refreshing, unusual, delicious garden cocktails. Go to GardeningGusto. com to find recipes for the beloved Rhubarbarita, Cilantro Seed Martinis, The Sage Rush and (coming soon) The Carrot Collins.

Inventing new cocktails is certainly an amusing way to spend the upcoming Labor Day Weekend, so here is the contest: I am currently working on a new drink that features gorgeous, sweet, purple beet juice. I want to use gin in this cocktail so it can be called The Beet Gineration. Interested? Send your tried and true recipes (along with any amusing anecdotes) for your Beet Gineration to Katherine@GardeningGusto.com. We’ll print winning recipe here and you’ll win a double- autographed copy of The Way We Garden Now, written by me and illustrated by our multi-talented local pediatrician Dr. Peter Gergely!

Questions? Email Katherine@GardeningGusto. com. Katherine Whiteside is the author of six gardening and cooking books.