One Way To Cook A Beet

I didn't learn to love beets until I was in my 20s. The fear of red pee, scared me out of trying them for most of my life. After college I was a starving actress in LA and I worked at a wonderful four star restaurant on the beach. The beet salad there was one of the most popular items on the menu. It seemed so strange to me that someone would spend $18 on a dirt-tasting, red pee-making, pile of roots. After a while, I just broke down. Not sure what did it exactly. Maybe the kitchen staff made one too many and gave me one for lunch, or maybe I couldn't get a break and starving was given one by a manager. I don't remember, but eventually I ate a beet salad... and I loved it.

Preparing beets seems daunting. Until recently, I would occasionally buy the pre-boiled ones from Trader Joe's but I never really cooked them myself. Last year, my neighbor Mary and I started to share a weekly CSA box, and I was faced with a pile of raw beets. A massive pile. Mary, not being a fan of beets, gave me even more. I think she cleverly hid a few in a desert. But I, cooked them all and got really damn good at it.

Since, the farmer's markets are filled with beautiful red and gold beets right now, here's one way to cook a beet....

Cut off the tops and tips of the beets (btw, this entire process resembles a murder scene).

Place beets in a large pot of water.

Turn heat on and boil the beets until fork tender.

Drain beets and let cool.

When beets are room temp, put some olive oil in your hands.

Coat your hands with the olive oil (this will keep the red stain from really sinking into your skin).

push the skin off of the beets with your thumbs. It will slide off easily.

Tada!

Put these in a Tupperware and refrigerate until you need them.

I washed my hands three times until this came off.

My next blog is about the best beet salad in history. Stay tuned...