Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [293]
To braise: Bring about 1 inch of water, vegetable broth, white wine, or a combination of any two, plus a couple of lemon slices, to a boil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the spears, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes for white, 6 minutes for green, and 4 minutes for purple.
To grill: Prepare the grill for medium-heat cooking; lightly oil the rack. Place the green or purple spears directly over the heat; cook until lightly browned, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. (White asparagus does not lend itself to grilling.)
To microwave: Place the spears in a glass pie plate; add about ½ inch water, drizzle with a little olive oil, and cover tightly. Microwave on high until tender, about 9 minutes for white, 4 minutes for green, and 3 minutes for purple.
To serve: Toss with coarse-grained sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black or white pepper as well as toasted sliced almonds, finely grated lemon zest, a dab of chutney, a dollop of Dijon mustard, a spoonful of crème fraîche, a splash of a sweet vinegar like balsamic or sherry, or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Beets
Look for dark ruby, bright orange, or creamy white skins without obvious bruising or scales. The somewhat exotic American “candy cane” varietal has ruby and white rings. The thin, tail-like top root should be firm, not limp. If possible, buy similarly sized bunches with the greens still attached. Although the greens slowly leach moisture from the beets, their presence usually indicates freshness at the market. In general, larger beets can be tough, even woody. Plan on 2 medium beets per person.
To store: Snip off the greens, leaving about 1 inch of stem attached. Seal the beets in a plastic bag perforated with a few small holes and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
To prepare: Cut off the remnants of the stems and the root. Rinse gently but well. Peeling beets removes essential nutrients; however, if you cook them with their skins on, they must be cooked whole and you must then let them cool slightly before slipping off the now-loose skins. If you prefer, you can, of course, peel the beets first. Remove any red stains on your hands by rubbing them with kosher salt under warm running water.
To roast: Wrap in aluminum foil, seal tightly, and bake in a preheated 400°F oven until tender when pierced with a fork, 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before removing the foil and slipping off the skins. Alternatively, peel the beets and cut them into 1-inch pieces, toss with a generous splash of olive oil in a 13 × 9-inch baking pan, and bake, stirring occasionally, in a preheated 400°F oven until browned and tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
To sauté: Heat a little olive oil and a pat of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Peel the beets and grate them through the large holes of a box grater into the pan. Stir in one or more minced garlic cloves, a splash of lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add water to a depth of about ¼ inch and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
To steam: Cut in half. Place in a steamer basket over 2 inches of boiling water in a large pot set over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and steam until tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before slipping off the skins.
To microwave: Cut in half; place in a large glass baking dish or pie plate. Add ¼ cup water or broth and a splash of white wine. Cover and microwave on high for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand at room temperature, covered, for 10 minutes before slipping off their skins.
To serve: Toss with salt and pepper as well as either unsalted butter, olive oil, walnut oil, almond oil, toasted sesame oil, mustard oil, or lemon juice; or a