Lemony Beet Greens

Beet greens are fabulous.  Delicately sweet, mild and tender, they are also packed with all sorts of valuable nutrients.   They are really simple to prepare, and barely need a recipe.  But, there are a few tips for good greens.  First, beet greens are best within a day or two of purchasing them, and should generally be left attached to the beet until you are ready to cook them.  At the market, the bunches with smaller leaves will be more tender because they are younger.  When I prepared them for this posting, I used one bunch from golden beets and one bunch from red beets for a little contrasting color.  Ideally, when you are ready to cook them, the stems should be removed from the leaf, chopped separately, and tossed in the water a few minutes before the leaves because they take longer to cook.  Keep a close eye on your greens and be ready to drain them the instant they are done.  They can become rapidly overdone.

I am always generous with the olive oil because it tastes better and because many of the valuable nutrients in the greens will be lost unabsorbed without some fat present.  I usually have at least two kinds of olive oil in the kitchen–one with a light flavor for sauteing, and one that is bold with a lot of character.   For this recipe, you should use your favorite full flavor olive oil, and you should actually be able to taste it in the greens.  I am partial to the fruity Sicilian olive oils and the peppery Tuscan olive oils.    Keep an eye out for another recipe to for the beets themselves sometime soon!

Lemony Beet Greens
Serves 4

2 bunches of beet greens
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt

Wash the beet greens.  Chop the stems off at the base of the leaf, or pull the leaf off if it has a thick stem all the way up.  Dice the stems and keep them in a pile on their own.  Roughly chop the leaves in about two inch pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, at least 4 quarts.  Add a teaspoon or two of salt and bring back to a boil.  Drop the stems in and turn down to medium high.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the leaves and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so, depending on how crunchy you like them.  Drain well, shaking off any water.

When they’ve cooled down a bit, but are still warm, toss with olive oil and salt.  Once you have nice shiny coating, then drizzle the lemon juice and toss again.  Serve immediately.