Garden Delights - Don't that Beet all!

Business life has been intense lately, mostly because of unexpected computer death, unexpected new computer glitches and all the accompanying headaches. Truly a love/hate relationship. So, to detox from this desk bound electronic entanglement, I wander out to work in the garden.

Our endless late cold and rainy weather finally ended in June, and we were able to get the rest of the garden planted. Greens &  root crops were planted earlier in the raised beds we were able to put up on Mother's Day. As a result, while our first summer squash are just coming on, we have been rich with lettuce, chard, and beets for some time (also radishes, other greens, onions, etc...). We love salads, greens, and sweet, colorful beets. Brilliant gems of the garden, beets are incredibly nutritious. Not only are the roots full of vitamins and minerals, but the greens are rich in nutrients as well. Did we mention they are delicious?

So it was no surprise when my sister e mailed us a link to a New York Times article touting beets as a superfood with a plethora of wonderful recipes.

Well, I can always use more recipes, especially now when the dinner menu question is: "What would you like with your Beets?" (earlier it was Asparagus, then Artichokes.. whatever needs eaten before it gets past it's prime). On top of that, I am always looking for recipes that are compatible with cooking in our solar oven (see earlier post: Sun Worship - of the Culinary Kind ).
We easily roast beet roots in the Solar Oven. Wash the beets and cut the leaves off, leaving about 1" of stem. Place in lidded casserole, add about 1/2 cup of water, cover, and cook in solar oven until tender when pierced with a fork. The time varies depending on the size of the beets, but all should be done in an hour. When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the covered baking dish. At this point the ends and skins should slip right off.
Roasted beets are wonderful sliced plain or in a salad, dressed with a vinegarette. They are fabulous heated and served with a dollop of sour cream. They're the basis for borscht, a more wintery favorite around here. They will keep several days in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

But back to the NY Times article. There was one idea I had never had that looked like a Solar Oven winner. I am sure the original recipe is marvelous, the one I modified and made, substituting what I had on hand, sure was:

Beet & Beet Green Gratin Variation

6 to 8 beets with greens 
Salt to taste
3 eggs
3/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup grated Swiss or other cheese
dash Cayenne pepper
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Roast the beets as noted above. Cool, slip off the skins and slice.
2. Wash and sort the beet greens, discard the stems and chop the leaves coarsely.
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet, and add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in the greens. Stir together for a minute, season the greens with salt, cayenne and black pepper, cover with a lid and turn off the heat. The greens will wilt as they steam slightly.
4. Preheat the Solar Oven (regular oven to 375 degrees). Oil a 2-quart lidded baking dish with olive oil. Beat together eggs, salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, milk, green onions and cheese. Gently stir in the greens and beets. Scrape into the gratin dish. Bake until puffy and lightly browned on the top (35 to 40 minutes in conventional oven). Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
This should serve six.
Enjoy!