Food has the magical ability to evoke emotions and also sustain memories throughout time. My love for food came from my Grandmother Elizabeth “Uppy” Wisher. Uppy had a very large backyard garden in her post-WW2 house in Lakewood, WA. She grew so many fabulous things – I was amazed by the size and bounty of her zucchini, which she used to make the best zucchini bread. Her tomatoes were a treasure with just a sprinkle of salt, and I fondly remember her beets, which inspired my dish this evening. Beets are a wonderful root, roasted until savory with a hint of nuttiness, often served with a splash of vinegar, goat cheese, and fresh herbs.
Uppy always sauteed the beet greens, turning the bitter leaves, into a buttery mix of healthful bites I learned to crave. My palette grew to accept these and chickory greens as things a young boy would actually like and remember fondly. Shocking. I share my many pictures of food, not a means of soliciting praise, bragging, or otherwise garnering attention, but as a way to share my passion for food and cooking, instilled by my grandmother, and also as a prelude to decades-long documentation of cooking and food that has shaped and inspired me. My project is a cookbook for my sons so that they will have a reference to our lives together through the lens of food, shared meals with family and friends, a way I choose to share and express my love.
If you have ever dined with me at my home, or I have cooked a meal at yours, you know that I truly love you.
Ingredients
4-8 Large red and/or golden beets
Goat cheese
Chives
Butter or ghee
Vinegar -champagne, or other artisanal flavor such as organic white balsamic, sherry, or tarragon white wine vinegar
Preparation
Cut the greens off the beats, wash and set aside
Scrub the beets, trim the ends, and coat in olive oil
Place on baking sheet with parchment or roasting disk coated with olive oil to prevent sticking
Roast at 375 for 45 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork
Let beets cool, or rinse under cold water and peel the skins off with your fingers, or a peeler
Slice or cut to your preference, add in goat cheese (sliced or crumbled)
Add in splash (1-2 table spoons) of vinegar for added acidity
Garnish with chopped chives
FOR BEET GREENS
Sautee in pan with butter or ghee for 3-5 minutes, being careful not to overcook
