Have a large supply of Beets...need suggestions???

[tochowchick]

I have acquired a large supply of beets...I've roasted a number of them today and I love just eating them "as is" but would love some other suggestions/recipes. How long can I keep the beets?

Thanks hounds.

[cathyeats]

I just made pickled beets, and I was shocked how easy it was. I didn't can them, they're more like "refrigerator pickles" - they'll keep for a month in the fridge.

So pretty, too! http://www.whatwouldcathyeat.com/2010...

Here's the recipe:

PIckled beets

3 pounds medium beets, greens removed (leave a half inch of stem
)2 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
6 bay leaves
1 large onion, thinly sliced

Put the beets in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for about 25-30 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain, rinse in cold water, peel and cut into chunks.

Bring the remaining ingredients – except the onion – to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Layer the beets and onions into four pint (or two quart) jars, and pour the liquid over. Let cool before covering the jars. Refrigerate for two days before eating.

[tochowchick]

Some great ideas here...thanks 'hounds....

[Phurstluv]

June's Bon App has a recipe for a farro salad with beets and radicchio, looks pretty, though I am not a beet lover, so haven't made it.

[scubadoo97]

a beet salad is a good way to use up a few beets. I roast them whole and slice into 1/2 inch cubes. Dress with a citrus vinaigrette.

[BeefeaterRocks]

I like fennel, roasted beets, gorgonzola & mixed greens with orange marmalade vinaigrette.

[scubadoo97]

So do I. I like to do fennel and beets a lot. A nice French feta also works nice. and a little arugula give another texture. Great stuff.

[iprobeattoomuch]

My favorite is steamed, sliced into half- or quarter-moons (quarter and then slice into 1/4-1/2 inch slices) with a little black pepper and a drizzle of good balsamic and olive oil. It can sit for days (maybe even a week or two) and is excellent, sweet, and earthy. It's also super easy. They are quite snackable, so if you have a quantity of beets this is a good way to put them to use!

[DaisyM]

I've just started eating the beet greens. Chop off the green tops and wash carefully. Throw them in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Squeeze the water out and chop. Saute in olive oil with garlic and lemon. So delicious!

I roast the beets and then top with toasted walmuts, feta, olive oil and lemon.

[LisaPA]

I just tried raw beets for the first time and loved them. Just wash, peel and grate or chop. The taste is a bit less earthy and sweet, but still beety. I mixed the beets with grated carrot and apple, a shallot and a kicky, sharp mustard vinaigrette. Delicious with lunch today and a beautiful magenta color with orange highlights.

[millygirl]

That sounds really lovely, and easy too! Thanks for the inspiration LisaPA. I saw a similar type salad in, I think it was Bon Apetite this month, that called out to me as well. It looked quite elegant and like you say, beautiful colors.

[millygirl]

I had to share this amazing salad I just made. Beets, chic peas and edamame in a peanut sesame dressing. AMAZING. Great flavour combinations and totally addictive. I don't have a recipe because I was just trying to duplicate something I had recently but I was quite happy with the results. YUM.

[cheesecake17]

I've mixed shredded beets and carrots with whole wheat spaghetti, scallions, and a peanut ginger sauce. Great combination.

[newfoodie]

Yes, I saw that salad as well. I believe it was raw shredded beets and carrots. Definitely on my to try list.

[Isolda]

Use grated beets instead of carrots in a carrot cake. This is especially good if you also substitute hazelnuts for whatever nuts are called for in your recipe.

[toveggiegirl]

I like beets in pancake/latke/fritter form. These recipes are both great.
Bon Appétit's Beet and Carrot Pancakes
http://www.food.com/recipe/beet-and-carrot-pancakes-334904
Bon Appétit's Cumin-Scented Beet Latkes
http://www.food.com/recipe/cumin-scented-beet-latkes-345207

I also really enjoyed this Red Lentil Salad With Feta and Beets from Food & Wine.
http://www.food.com/recipe/red-lentil...

And there is always Chocolate Beet Cake!

[hungry_united]

seconding the pancake idea! mark bittman's beet pancakes with rosemary are awesome and would be even better topped with a poached egg!

[LNG212]

Beet risotto is a great idea - it's really delicious.

Also, beet ravioli. I like to use the roasted beets (diced) with a little bit of goat cheese for the filling. Dill makes a nice complement too. Then I serve with a butter and poppy seed sauce. It's also really pretty.

[beanodc]

Beet risotto. Roast the beets and follow regular risotto procedures. You won't believe what a beautiful color your risotto will be.

[tochowchick]

Thanks for the suggestions folks...any others???

[phoenikia]

these beet threads have some great ideas:

beets, other than roasted and in salad:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/671916?tag=search_results;results_list

beets:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/491075?tag=search_results;results_list

making beets more palatable:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6934...

[kaleokahu]

Round it out with a little beet wine...

I don't know where you live, but if Fall is here for you, you can always "Hill" your beets (like any root vegetable) out in your garden, or put 'em in a root cellar, and they will keep for a long time. If your root cellar's a condo parking garage, not so much.

[tall sarah]

Yum! They will keep for a while, wrapped in a bag in the back of your fridge. Even roasted, they will keep for a bit. if not cooked, don't wash them off until you're ready to use them.

If you don't have fridge space, make beet pickles! They are sooooo delicious. I used a recipe found on boston.com. Here it is, abbreviated.

makes 4 pints

4 lbs beets, washed & trimmed of greens w/ 1" of stem & tails attached
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cups cider vinegar
3 cups thinly sliced onions
2 cups sugar
3 cinnamon sticks, broken up
1 T whole mustard seed
1 t whole allspice
1 t whole cloves
1 t salt
4 dried Thai chilis

Bring large pot of water to boil. Add beets & cook at low boil til tender, about 20-40 min (depends on size of beets). Remove beets once done. Cool just long enough to handle, then cut off tops & bottoms & peel. Cut into slices or chunks, about 1/2" thick.

In a sep. large pot, combine rest of the ingredients, bring to boil & simmer 5 min. Add beets & heat thru. Remove cinnamon sticks.

Into clean, hot pint canning jars, ladle the beets & cover w/ liquid, leaving 1/2" head space. Run a thin knife around jar, wipe rim with clean, damp cloth & add canning lid. Screw on band. Process for 30 minutes in boiling water bath. Remove from canner & set aside for 24 hours to cool. Check for seal. Stores for about 10 months.

[chefj]

Borscht! You can make it and freeze it.
To store beets, trim the leaves 2 inches from the root as soon as you get them home. The leaves will sap the moisture from the beet root. Do not trim the tail. Store the leaves in a separate plastic bag and use within two days. The root bulbs should also be bagged and can be stored in the refrigerator crisper drawer 7 to 10 days.

[millygirl]

Really? Only 7 to 10 days? I've had some for a few weeks now and they still look okay. Keep thinking I will 'do' something with them, but maybe I should just chuck 'em?

[cheesecake17]

beets usually last about 3 weeks in my fridge. I keep them in the back of the vegetable drawer.

[phoenikia]

millygirl, if they look fine, they're fine. I've kept beets for close to a month in the fridge, and some varieties keep all winter in a root cellar. I also keep my greens for up to a week in the fridge.

The beets will start to look shriveled/dehydrated if they've been stored for too long (in my experience, unlikely to happen before they're > 1 month old), but as long as there's no signs of decay, mold or slime, they're still ok for cooking.

[chefj]

They just start to suffer a bit not go bad. They dehydrate or if in a closed environment mold. They aren't bad they just lose some of their 'vitality" not at their peak.