Beets are sweet and healthy vegetables. Despite the high sugar content, they have relatively few calories and many nutrients, such as vitamin C, potassium, fiber and iron. There are many techniques for cooking them, including roasted, microwaved, boiled, steamed and fried. If you want to learn how to do this, read on.
Ingrediants
- 4 medium-sized beets
- Corn starch (for frying)
- Olive oil (optional)
- Salt and Pepper To Taste. (optional)
Servings: 4-6
Steps
Preparation
Step 1. Choose some fresh beets
If you want the tastiest and freshest, buy the best looking and firm ones. If they seem spongy to you, they are old and the taste will not be great. Fresh beets also have dark green leaves at the tip, old beets have yellowing leaves.
Step 2. Remove the leaves with the aid of a sharp knife
They should not be removed completely, leave a small portion large enough to grab the vegetable, in this way it will be easier to slice the beet if you decide to do so.
Consider storing the leaves. They can be cooked separately in a pan, roasted or steamed. It won't take long (4 minutes in the steamer will be enough), so keep them aside
Step 3. Cut the beets
Eliminate the longer end, you do not need it for the recipe, in addition to the fact that its presence makes it more difficult to handle the vegetable. However, if you wish, you can do this after cooking.
Step 4. Clean the vegetables
Wash them under running water while scrubbing them with a brush until all the soil is gone. You can also use your hands, but you will need to be very careful.
Method 1 of 5: Roast
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 204 ° C
Step 2. Prepare the baking sheet
Take one that is not too deep, suitable for beets. Cover it with aluminum foil, this is not strictly necessary, but it will prevent the sweet juices from getting too dirty.
Step 3. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil
Make sure that after washing them they are still a little damp. Close the packets well, it is not necessary that they are perfectly adherent, but it is important that they remain closed by themselves. If the beets are small you can prepare packets that contain more than one, although it is always better to cook them individually.
If you want to skip this step, you can put some oil on the vegetables to prevent them from burning. Use olive oil or another type of vegetable oil (one tablespoon will be enough for every half a kilo of beets). Then, season with salt and pepper. If you want them to cook faster, cut them into quarters, 45 minutes will be enough; if you leave them whole, it will take longer
Step 4. Bake the beets in the oven for 50-60 minutes
Put them on the baking sheet and then directly in the oven.
Step 5. Add a little water if you have the impression that they are starting to burn
Check the beets every 20 minutes and if they appear dry or you notice burn marks on the bottom, gently open each bag and pour 15 ml of water inside. Close the foil and place it in the oven to continue cooking.
Step 6. Check if they are ready
Beets are fully roasted when you can stick them with a fork in the center without encountering resistance. This is a sign that they are perfectly cooked and that you can take them out of the oven. Remember that small vegetables cook faster than large ones.
Step 7. Wait for them to cool
It will take a few minutes for the beets to be at a temperature manageable to the touch.
Step 8. Pelale
When you can handle them, remove the outer skin layer. Grab each beet with a sheet of kitchen paper and gently rub the peel to peel it off. If the vegetable is perfectly cooked, you shouldn't have any difficulties. You won't need any sharp tools to do this. Consider wearing gloves to avoid getting dirty with beet juices.
Step 9. Bring to the table
You can enjoy these great whole roasted beets, or grab them by the tip and slice them. They are excellent natural or in a salad.
Method 2 of 5: Microwave
Step 1. Place the beets in a microwave-safe bowl
Try to use a container that has a capacity of 4 liters: it must be large enough to hold all the beets arranged in a single layer without overlapping. You can leave them whole or cut into quarters.
Step 2. Add 30ml of water
Pour it over the beets to wet them completely. Do not attempt to microwave them without water.
Step 3. Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film
Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 4. Flip the beets and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes
By doing this, you are sure that the whole vegetable cooks evenly. Continue like this until they are tender and you can skewer them with a fork.
Step 5. Wait for them to cool
Leave them in the microwave for a minute or so, then remove them and wait another minute, or until you can handle them. Leaving the beets in the bowl with the lid allows the steam to cook them a little longer. It is better to take advantage of this action of the steam rather than cooking them too much in the microwave, because the latter destroys the nutritional properties of the vegetables.
Step 6. Remove the peel
Use kitchen paper to scrub the beets; if they don't peel, help yourself with a potato peeler. If you're having trouble peeling, the beetroot needs another minute or so to cook.
Step 7. Serve
Beets cooked in the microwave are ready to be enjoyed, you can add them to a salad or another recipe of your choice. Slice them, eat them whole or in wedges.
Method 3 of 5: Frying
Step 1. Peel the beets
Use a peeler to remove the peel before cooking.
Step 2. Cut it into a matchstick
The size of each stick should be approximately 7.5cm long by 1.5cm thick. Larger sticks will not be at risk of burning, but they will take longer to cook completely.
Step 3. Sprinkle the beets with cornstarch
Pour 2 ounces into a dark metal bowl, do not use the plastic ones because the red juice of the beet will stain them. Add the matchstick cut vegetable and move it inside the starch with the help of a fork. Make sure the sticks are completely covered.
Step 4. Heat the oil in a medium-sized broth pot
You will need 10 cm of oil. Attach an instant-read pastry thermometer to the edge of the pot to know when the oil reaches 170 ° C.
Step 5. Add the beetroot sticks
Do not cook them all together, otherwise the oil temperature drops excessively. A handful at a time is fine. Fry the beetroot until it is golden and crunchy on the outside but tender on the inside: it will take 5 minutes.
Step 6. Remove and drain the beets from the oil
Use a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with absorbent paper. Wait for them to cool slightly before serving.
Step 7. Bring to the table
These sticks are excellent on their own, in salads or in borscht, a typical Ukrainian soup.
Method 4 of 5: Boil
Step 1. Place the beets in a large pot
Boiling is a great way to cook vegetables because it is fast and thorough. The downside is that boiling water disperses flavors.
Step 2. Cover the beets with water
Step 3. Add salt and sugar as you like
You should add one tablespoon of sugar and one tablespoon of salt for every 4 liters of water.
Step 4. Bring the water to a boil over high heat
Step 5. Reduce the heat when the water is boiling
In this way it begins to simmer.
Step 6. Cook the beets for 45-50 minutes or until cooked
Young and fresh beets take about 45 minutes, the older even an hour or more. If you peeled and chopped the beets before boiling, it will take half the time.
Step 7. Remove the beets from the heat
Now that they are cooked you can drain them and put them in cold water to stop cooking. Then, cut off the tip with the roots and remove the peel with a damp cloth or kitchen paper.
Step 8. Serve them
You can slice them, make a puree or bring them to the table whole with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Method 5 of 5: Steamed
Step 1. Fill the bottom of a steamer with 5cm of water
Steaming is the best because it does not disperse the flavors.
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil
Step 3. Arrange the beets on the steamer basket
They must form a single layer to cook evenly. Close the steamer with its lid.
Step 4. Cook for 45 minutes or until beets are tender
If you have peeled them and cut them into wedges, it will take half the time.
Step 5. Remove the vegetables from the heat and immediately put them in cold water
Remove the peel with a damp cloth or kitchen paper.
Step 6. Bring to the table
Enjoy the steamed beets as they are, slice them, cut them into wedges or add salt, pepper and olive oil to enrich the flavor.
