Recipes

Beets and their Greens with Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4-6

Bunches of freshly dug beets are as valuable for their green tops as they are for the jewel colored beets. The greens are a fine side dish, either braised or sautéed with garlic and chile flakes. Here we’ve adapted a Greek recipe for beet greens and yogurt to provide total utilization——we include the greens, the beets, and even the beet stems. The same process may be used for chard and its stems.

• 1 bunch beets and their greens
• ¼ cup water
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• salt and black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 small red onion, chopped, approximately 1 cup
• ½ lemon cut into wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut beets from the stems, and reserve stems. Wash beets and put in a baking dish with the water. Cover tightly with foil and roast until a paring knife inserts easily into the center of the beets. Once beets are cool enough to handle, pull off their skins. Cut beets into cubes and set aside.
3. Strip leaves from stems and set aside. Cut stems into 1-inch lengths. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add stems and boil until tender. Scoop out and drain. Add greens to the same water and boil until tender. Drain, shock in ice water and drain again.
4. Pound garlic to a paste in a mortar with a pinch of salt. Add lemon juice and steep for 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper.
5. Heat half the butter in a wide skillet and sauté the beets, greens and stems, stirring, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and spoon yogurt sauce over the top.
6. Heat the remaining butter in the same skillet and sauté red onion over medium high heat, stirring, until the edges begin to brown. Season with salt and serve over the yogurt. Garnish with lemon wedges.

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