beets & peaks

peeling beets to Twin Peaks

 

To all of you David Lynch and beet eating enthusiasts, this week's post is for you. 

It was a long day of cycling. I was exhausted. Beets had to be prepped for pickling, but Twin Peaks was on the back of my mind. Many have been raving about Lynch's new season, 'Twin Peaks: The Return', so I recently started watching the first two seasons from 1990-91. I refused to jump on the bandwagon without catching up on the first two years of the show, nor was I about to skip out on a blast from the past. 

Given my current obsession with TP and need for pickling, I thought, why not combine the two? I set-up a workstation in my living room with three bowls (1 for red beets, 1 for yellow beets, 1 for unpeeled/mixed beets), a trash bag, rubber gloves [beets bleed, gloves save your hands from being stained and looking as though it were you who murdered Laura Palmer] pairing knife & vegetable peeler. Everything was just so.

I was getting my Lynch on and being productive: My endeavor of reaching 120 jarred pickles/preserves for the year is over half-way complete, but I still need another 50 or so. These beets will surely knock off another 10 jars at minimum. 

If you're not a beet person, you probably just haven't found the right preparation [like most vegetables]. Beets can be pickled, roasted, boiled, shaved raw in salads, pureed in a soup or sauce, baked into breads... the list goes on and on. I have no doubt I could get you eating beets; just give them a chance. There are many varieties to choose from: candy-cane-stripped Chioggia, golden, red, and white [aka sugar beets], to name a few. 

Pickled beets are typically enjoyed by beet aficionado's, and seldom liked by those who are indifferent about them. Therefore, I thought I'd include a recipe that would surely get one hooked on these sweet, earthy, bulbous root vegetables and save my pickled recipe for another post. 

A Grain Bowl

This recipe can be modified to include vegetables/fruits you have on hand at home. Don't feel like you have to follow it ingredient by ingredient. You can even swap out the grain for another or add beans/lentils to add protein. It's an easy way to get nourished without having to think too hard. Let the ingredients do their thing and sing their flavors.

Serves 2
Ingredients: 
4 small beets (about 1⁄2 lb.), trimmed and scrubbed clean
6 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 cups farro
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. champagne vinegar 
1 pear, cubed 
3 cup mache (substitute arugula, spinach or a green of your choice)
1⁄3 cup roasted pepitas/pumpkin seeds
1⁄4 cup ricotta cheese
1⁄2 head radicchio, thinly sliced

Instructions:1. Heat the oven to 400°. In an 8-by-8-inch square baking dish, toss beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper and cover with aluminum foil. Roast until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and peel. Cut into wedges and set beets aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add farro and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse until cool under cold running water. Set farro aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons oil with honey and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and set dressing aside. 
4. To assemble grain bowl, divide farro between 2 bowls. Top each with beets, pear, greens, ricotta cheese, and radicchio. Drizzle with dressing before serving.