The Accidental Locavore is not a fan of beets. Let me be honest here…I despise beets!
I will not eat them cooked.
I will not eat them raw.
I will not eat them borshted.
I will not eat them pickled.
I will not eat them red.
I will not eat them golden (and I will hate you for trying to make them look like edible vegetables!).
I do not like the color.
I do not like the smell.
Somewhere in my childhood, something traumatic must have happened with beets. If you ask my brother or my dad they’ll give you the same response: “Might as well eat dirt.”
My mother when quizzed, takes no responsibility for this family-wide disgust. Instead when asked, she tried to deflect it to her two sisters. I can count the number of meals I’ve had cooked by either of them on the fingers of one hand (probably with fingers to spare, but I won’t exaggerate), so I really doubt they have anything to do with it. Sorry Mom.
The ironic side of this tale is that I am married to a man who loves beets as much as I loathe them.
When they come up in my CSA what do I do?
Trying not to inhale, I cut the tops off leaving about an inch of green (supposedly this keeps them from “bleeding” too much), wash them and wrap each beet in aluminum foil (drizzle a little olive oil on if you’d like, star anise, orange juice and peel for getting fancy).
Toss them on a cookie sheet in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes (depending on size) until they are tender. When they’ve cooled off enough to touch, the skins should slip right off.
Then it’s up to the person who likes them to chill and slice up in a salad with goat cheese, or while still warm “pickle” them by quartering them and tossing with some red wine vinegar and chopped red onion. Chill or cool to room temperature. Serve and enjoy.
Do you have a vegetable you won’t eat under any circumstances? What is it?
Opposites attract?
BTW, it does run in the family and the fact that we each have a spouse that likes beets is just weird. xxR
It’s one I can’t really vouch for since I refuse to eat them, but I gather it’s pretty good.
Your beet recipe sounds great funny enough. I’m not sure if there’s any I hate, but there are definitely some I make way more than others.
Beets are about the only vegetable I won’t eat. There are some veggies I’m on the fence about, but mostly I like them. My cousin won’t eat anything green at all (not that beets are green…)
Beets – hate them in all forms… It’s probably a shorter list to name the veggies I do like:).
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Bacon too…maybe that’s the acid test? If it doesn’t taste better with bacon or garlic, then there’s no hope for it (i.e. beets).
I used to believe that every vegetable could be made delicious by drizzling it with olive oil and chopped garlic and roasting it over high heat (or broiling or grilling). That works great for the two veggies I used to hate most: Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. But beets still taste like dirt to me, no matter how I cook them.
What are swedes, other than disgusting?
I will never ever ever ever eat asparagus! Hate the loathsome stuff – even the smell of it nauseates me. Am I clear enough! lol
Turnips and swedes – disgusting things…
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I do eat beets, but totally understand why you wouldn’t. They smell funny and taste like dirt.
I washed the greens really well and will saute them later in the week. Two weeks ago we had turnip greens and they were wonderful! I learned from Emeril Lagasse to braise whole radishes and toss the greens in about 5 minutes before the radishes are tender. They were delicious, but you have to clean the greens really well. As soon as they show up in my farm box, I’ll share the recipe.
What did you do with the greens? They are delicious and can be substituted for most other type greens (collards, mustard, spinach etc.) in most recipes. When picking beets, pick the ones with the most fresh looking leaves. Often at the green market other people request the tops be taking off and disposed of…………I have been known to take some of these also.
I do the same with small white turnips, but it doesn’t work with radish greens!
I love beets — all ways, and I’m blown away by “borshted!” My most hated veg is raw onion, but I worship onion blossoms — even thinking of buying a special cutter.
Beets, can’t stand ’em. Once every five or ten years I try a beet, just to see if my taste buds have changed. They taste like dirt. Bad dirt. I may never try that experiment again – it has netted the same result for 50 years.
A lot of veggies I just find dull: carrots, lettuce. Some I adore: brussel sprouts, squash, eggplant. Only one I actively hate is beet.
I don’t love beets but don’t hate them either. I hate okra……won’t touch it and Anne, I really . really despise lima beans !!!!! Much like you describe your relationship with beets, that’s how I feel about lima beans. My own children have never eaten them .
Love your site !!!
I love beets, too. And especially roasted beets. I can’t think of a vegetable I didn’t like. This column made my mouth water…
I personally LOVE Beets!! The only vegetable that I used to in no circumstance eat was Okra. But then I went to an Indian Restaurant in Bangkok and they made “French Fries” out of Okra and they were delish, minus the slimy center part that I object to!