a few more recipes

so when we went out to harvest, we realized that the share should include broccoli as well. I won't put a recipe for that this week, but realized that i needed a basic beet and pesto recipe. Here they are:

Beets (without greens) will keep for up to three months in the crisper drawer, so please do not feel you are lost if at some point this season, you have lots of beets kicking around! Beets are extremely versitale and can be used in either savory or sweet dishes. We have a recipe for a beet chocolate cake, the beets adding an interesting back ground color and vitamin a, c, and carotenes stealthily to a nice desert.

We often grate beets raw into a salad or slice them thin into a stir fry. To cook beets: remove tops and boil until you can pierce with a fork (15-40 mins.). You can then rinse with cold water and slip the skins( I wrote that just because I love the ring that slip the skins has, and they do just slip right off when you wipe them with your fingers (under cool water) but most of the trace minerals are right under the skins, so save the time and leave them on if you like, we do.)

Cooked beets can then be diced into salads, marinated themselves, or added to soups or stir fries for quicker cooking time. And don’t be afraid to experiment with this delicious and nutritious vegetable.


Balsamic Beets and Beet Greens:
¼ cup toasted walnuts (375o for 5-7 mins)
Bunch of beets with greens
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt or vegetable seasoning to taste
1 Vidalia or red onion, sliced into half moons

Steam beets for approximately 30 mins, peel beets under cool water by rubbing the skin off, quarter beets and cut into ¼ inch slices. Put in bowl and toss with lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar and salt and set aside.

Sauté onions for 3 mins. add sliced beet greens and cook, covered for 5-7 until wilted. Add dressed beets and heat back up. Serve on a platter garnished with toasted walnuts.
From greens glorious greens cookbook


Basil pesto recipe:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced (garlic scapes can be used)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

blend all ingredients in a food processor to make a greenish paste, toss with pasta, spread on bread, or in sandwiches, yum~! This pesto freezes well as well. We put it in our ice cube trays, once it is frozen solid, we put it in a ziplock bag and enjoy it year round one cube at a time. Some recipes say to freeze without cheese because it freezes better, but we haven't had a problem freezing it with cheese already included.


I would be remiss to forget to mention (again) to remove the tops from your carrots and beets to keep them from getting limp in the fridge! The dry air of the fridge sucks moisture out of the roots and up through the leaves. Take the tops off and store seperately the ones you'll eat, and put both things in a bag.

Basil does not keep well in the fridge, it can turn black if its too cold. Trim the bottom a little, and store in a jar of water on the counter. Sorry i didn't mention that in the first writing of the newsletter!

hope that catches everything i forgot up! Liz