My Top Greens

By: Katie Kadue | May 13 2010
Posted in San Francisco Bay Area - Cook It - San Francisco

I always try to buy beets – and turnips, rutabagas, radishes, and carrots – with their leafy tops still attached. Not only do perky greens indicate the freshness of the roots, they’re also delicious when steamed, sauteed, or thinly chopped and served as salad. These days, instead of wondering what to do with the greens that came along with my beets, I find myself struggling to use up the beets that came with my greens!

istock

At the Berkeley Farmers Markets, Riverdog Farm offers a rainbow of root vegetables, from scarlet turnips to purple carrots, but their tops are all, for the most part, green. Substitute beet greens for their close relative, Swiss chard, and you’ll save some green, too: a bunch of beets plus their greens usually sells for the same price as a bunch of chard alone. Look for bright green tops, without wilting or yellowing, and cut them off right away so the roots won’t leach their nutrients (they’ll last just a few days in the coldest part of the fridge; the roots are good for up to several weeks).

So what is one to do with these vitamin-packed, virtually free veggies?

-Carrot tops can be subbed into any standard pesto recipe. Their fresh, almost antiseptic taste (in a good way!) is similar to parsley, and they pair nicely with that herb. Add a dash of vinegar to counter the tops’ bitterness.

-Make a marinated raw beet carpaccio: the night before, slice beets as thinly as possible (ideally 1/16”) and cover with a mixture of water, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of honey. Chiffonade greens and massage well with olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt and let sit for several hours or overnight, until wilted. To serve, array beet slices on plate and set greens in the center.

-Next time you roast turnips or rutabagas, saute their tops to serve on the side. The nutty, slightly bitter greens nicely balance the caramelized sweetness of the roasted roots.