Can't Beet 'Em

A Lifelong Love of Roots and Greens


By Dan Avakian

When I was a kid in Vermont, my mother grew beets in our garden and always prepared them for dinner, cooking the leafy tops as well as the roots. I loved beets, but I loved the greens even more—I couldn’t get enough of the earthy, buttery flavor of cooked beet greens. When I became a teen and took a job at the local produce stand, I couldn’t believe how many customers would ask me to remove the greens from bunches of beets. I would always try to convince them that the greens were absolutely delicious, and some ended up giving them a chance. Others didn’t want anything to do with the greens, and those customers were secretly my favorites because in the back room of the store was a box filled with rejected greens that, at the end of the night, went home with me.
    Beets are related to chard, spinach, purslane and quinoa—all members of the goosefoot family, with leaves resembling webbed feet. They are believed to have originated in the Mediterranean, where, until the second century, only the greens were eaten. By the third century, the root was discovered, and its popularity gave cabbage some stiff competition as the diet staple of choice. They made their way west with the early settlers, and today, they are grown in 31 U.S. states with California, Ohio, New Jersey and Texas as the main producers.
    Short of scouring a well-stocked produce market, one couldn’t possibly fathom the varieties and choices when it comes to this standby. There are red beets, gold beets, candy stripe beets, baby beets and loose beets, to name a few, but Detroit red and ruby queen are the most popular. In fact, more than 1,800 known beet varieties exist on the planet, each with its own strengths. Gold beets are mild in flavor and look lovely on a serving platter, especially when mixed with red beets. Chioggia, or candy stripe, beets have a pink color, and when cut, they reveal alternating white and red rings that resemble peppermint candy. The bull’s blood beet is an heirloom variety that is deep red in color with leaves of a similar hue. This variety is absolutely delicious, and its young greens are tender and sweet in salads. In fact, micro and baby bull’s blood leaves are a favorite among chefs in high-end restaurants.
    Beets of all varieties are great in salads, soups and juiced. Cooking methods vary as well: beets can be boiled on the stove, roasted in the oven or, my favorite method, grilled on the barbecue after the coals have burned down. When preparing them at home, I leave an assortment of varieties on the grill for an hour or so, turning them a few times to cook each side evenly. This method lets the sugars really stand out, and the beets are far easier to peel once roasted. (Of course, I wait until they are cooled.) And, a bowl full of roasted beets lasts a good week in the refrigerator.
    When selecting beets in the store, look for ones that are firm and round, and stay away from slimy or flabby ones. Red beets should have a deep red color and a smooth surface. Gold beets should be a deep, vibrant gold; keep away from those with dark or black sunken spots—they’re old. Chioggia, bull’s blood and all other varieties should be selected similarly. The beet greens should be fresh, not wilted, and free from decay, but if you are choosing them for the root only, then the condition of the greens doesn’t matter.
Today, after 30 years in the produce business, I find myself back in the retail game, and folks still ask me to remove the greens. As always, I try to convince them to at least give the greens a try. Some do, but for those who won’t, there is a little box tucked away in the back room that sometimes fills with the luscious greens that always end up on my dinner plate.