From Garden to Table; Harvard Beet
Even though gardening has not been one of my successes, I keep at it and if its true that persistence pays off, then I will eventually fill my mostly empty garden beds with a bounty of lush organic vegetables. The temperatures here in the rain forest are great for gardening, as they are for insects and fungus, which compete with me for the green part of everything. I was therefore quite proud that one of my swiss chard changelings actually survived into adulthood. I call it a “changeling” because the package of seeds said they were “swiss chard”, and I thought they were a red variety until the hump of a beet started showing above the soil!
It was exciting to cook and eat something that had grown here with our own energies. I had never tried Harvard Beets (or Harvard Beet as my sister pointed out, since I only had one), so I decided to try it.
Harvard Beets
Ingredients:
2 lbs Beets ; (900 g) medium-sized, tops removed
1/3 cup (160 ml) sugar
2 Tbs (30 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice
Instructions:
Boil the beets in lightly salted water for 40 to 45 minutes, until
tender. Drain and allow to cool. Peel and trim the ends, then cut
into thin slices.
In a saucepan mix the remaining ingredients and
cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until the mixture
thickens and becomes clear, about 5 minutes.
Add the beets to the pan
and turn gently in the sauce to coat them. Reduce heat to low and
simmer covered for 5 to 10 minutes, until the beets are heated
through. Serves 6 to 8.
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Verdict:
The Harvard Beet was delicious!! I served it with baked chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed swiss chard. I will definitely make it again, particularly if I grow another beet.
The Greens:
One of the best parts of the beet plant is the greens. It has been my good luck (and their detriment) that the local people don’t eat beet greens, so I have always been able to get them for free in the market.
I decided to eat them right away with a few drops of apple cider vinegar. They were delicious.