notes about beet greens

Preparation:

You may be looking for something different to do with those beet greens. Of course you can saute them a little olive oil with the onions and garlic scapes, and just enjoy them that way. At my house, I find that everything goes with potatoes, so if I pan fry some potato cubes with the onions garlic, all greens become infinitely more appealing to my non-so-fond-of-vegetables husband.

Or make a beet green souffle by cooking the grits from today’s box, adding in eggs (2 or 3), and some grated cheese (your choice of type and quantity). Pour that into a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until the edges brown and the center appears just set.

Finally, try this idea from Mark Bittman’s “Kitchen Express”: Crisp Tofu and Asian Greens with Peanut Sauce. (Works with the bok choy, beet greens and/or broccoli.)

Slice firm tofu into strips or cubes and pat dry. Roughly chop bok choy (or beet greens or broccoli). If you’re using the bok choy, separate the fleshy stems from the leafy green parts.

Pan fry tofu in a little oil until brown on all sides. Set aside. Add the greens to the tofu-cooking pan, along with a pinch or two of red chile flakes. Cook until the vegetables turn dark green, about 3 minutes.

While this is cooking, stir together a half cup of peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and some fresh lemon or lime juice to taste. Add water to get a nice consistency. Add this to the vegetables in the pan, and toss in the tofu. Garnish with crushed peanuts and serve. And of course, if you’re not a fan of tofu, how about chicken, shrimp, pork tenderloin …. the possiblities are only limited by what you like to eat.