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Beets for Beginners by Dana Jacobi for The American Institute for Cancer Research

By mid-September, shorter days signal that autumn is near, even if the thermometer still reads like summer. Beets add fall color as well as a welcome variety to familiar salads during this transitional time.

Buying and cooking beets is easy. Start by selecting a bunch that has leaves resembling healthy, young, red-veined spinach or chard, two leafy greens to which beets are related. (Keep these tender greens. They are delicious sautéed with garlic and served with a bit of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.)

A bunch of beets in which all are reasonably similar in size is preferable, so they will cook in about the same amount of time. Beets that are two-and-a-half to four inches in diameter will boil in 45 to 60 minutes, while larger ones can take up to two hours. Since larger beets can also be woody, smaller beets are generally preferable. Beets are done when a thin, sharp knife inserted into the center meets only a little resistance.

Beets come in various colors, from cream or yellow to a dark, orangey pink. Chioggia beets, pale red on the outside, show candy-cane striped rings when sliced. These lighter beets also taste sweeter and less earthy than the familiar, red ones.

When cooking beets, leave on an inch of the stems on top and the hair-like root on the bottom. This helps to keep in their flavor and minimizes color bleeding out.

Cooked beets are easy to peel. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, just pull at the skin with your fingers and it will slip right off. (To avoid staining, slip sandwich-size plastic bags over your hands.) This works equally well with boiled, steamed, or roasted beets. Although roasting takes about twice as long as boiling, it turns beets divinely sugar-sweet.
As a salad, try beets with goat cheese and walnuts, dressed with mixture of Sherry vinegar, orange juice and a pinch of mustard.

Beet, Potato and Green Salad - Makes total of 4 cups or X servings.

• 3 medium red beets
• 6 small new potatoes (about 1/2 lbs.)
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup frozen green beans, defrosted
• 1/4 cup finely snipped dill

Cut tops off beets, leaving one inch of stems above tops of beets. Place beets in a deep saucepan and cover them to a depth of 2 inches with cold water. Cook over high heat. When water boils, reduce heat, boiling gently until beets are easily pierced in the center with a thin knife, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, put potatoes in medium pot and cover with an inch of cold water. Cook until potatoes are done, as tested with the beets, about 15 minutes. Drain each vegetable when done and transfer to a plate until cool enough to handle.

Pull skin from beets, then potatoes. Cut beets into 1-inch cubes. Cut potatoes into 8 pieces. Combine them in a bowl. Set aside until beet and potatoes are completely cooled. Place beans in a small bowl.

For the dressing, whisk together vinegar and mustard in a small bowl, then add and whisk in the oil, salt and pepper. Spoon 1 tablespoon dressing over beans and toss to coat. Add dill to remaining dressing, mixing well. Add dressing to beets and potatoes and toss to evenly distribute. Heap dressed beets and potatoes on a serving plate. Arrange the beans over them. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 110 calories, 4 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 19 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 95 mg. sodium.

AUTHOR:

“Something Different” is written for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) by Dana Jacobi, author of The Joy of Soy, and recipe creator for AICR’s Stopping Cancer Before It Starts. AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, a free service that allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides a range of education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $65 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR’s Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.

ARTICLE POSTED SEPTEMBER 14, 2003

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