Previously in Eesti Elu, we’ve written about how to be thrifty with food at home and reduce waste. Whether it’s stale bread or tougher parts of vegetables, there’s actually a lot we can do with less desirable food ingredients. Especially when you consider the rising cost of groceries.
A few examples come to mind. Don’t bother peeling mushrooms — their skins contain nutrients and one can save a lot of time by just washing them. Keep your broccoli stems — the florets aren't the only good part. You can trim and julienne the stalks and stir fry them in a wok with bamboo shoots, oil, soy sauce, and other sauces as desired.
Beets are another dynamic piece of produce. Estonians often use the roots themselves, most notably with potatoes, onion, apple, and egg in rosolje. We could also make a borscht soup. But to throw away the leaves is a missed opportunity.
“Beet greens are high in nutritional value and are packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.”
(Aarika Chilson, Just Beet It)
As Aarika Chilson from Just Beet It writes, “Beet greens boost immunity, lower blood pressure, improve mental health, strengthen bones, and more… Beet greens are high in nutritional value and are packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.”
So how do we approach this ingredient in the kitchen? You could make a pesto sauce or a smoothie, however, today we’re going to focus on the humble but satisfying sautéed beet greens.
Method:
1) The first step would really be to find beets that still have their greens/leaves attached, as sometimes grocery stores sell just the roots. The average bundle of beets from a grocery store has enough greens to serve three people, once everything is cooked down.
Once you have the intact beets, take a knife, cut off the roots, and put those aside for an additional roasted vegetable side or another dish later on.
2) Wash the greens that remain and shake off the water. Line up the greens and tear them in half in such a way that you’re not getting lots of greens in one bite and all stem in another. This makes it more enjoyable to eat later on.
3) Place the torn greens in a frying pan. Coat them in olive oil or another cooking oil. Let them cook slowly in the oil on medium heat.
For a more eastern and central European-style flavour, focus on paprika and thyme, and increase the quantity of fresh garlic to two cloves.
4) Add a sprinkle of sea salt, a few cracks of black pepper, and seasoning that matches the rest of your meal. For a southern collard greens-esque side dish (along with brisket and grits for example), use cayenne pepper, a clove of minced fresh garlic, and a bit of mustard. For a more eastern and central European-style flavour, focus on paprika and thyme, and increase the quantity of fresh garlic to two cloves.
5) Continue cooking the greens for approximately 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it, to hit the right balance between a not overly-wilted green and a tender stem that’s pleasant to chew.
6) In the last few minutes, drop a piece of butter in the pan, swirling it as you toss the greens with some tongs.
Head isu!
