Tips for beets

• Beets can be eaten raw (usually grated), but generally they're served cooked. They can be boiled, baked, steamed, fried, microwaved or grilled. Pickled beets are cooked before pickling.

• Although beets may be cooked in foil, avoid using aluminum cookware. It may discolor.

• Be careful when washing beets. Red beets will stain your hands (and almost anything else), but you also want to preserve their delicate peel before cooking. The thin skin retains the beet's nutrients and color.

Boil, bake or steam before peeling. After they're cooked, the skin will easily rub off under cold running water.

• Chef David English of Press Bistro in Sacramento bakes his beets wrapped in foil in a 400-degree oven. He groups them together by similar size, three to four in a packet. He adds a little olive oil and salt before sealing them up, then roasts them at least 45 minutes. Larger beets take longer to cook; an hour to 75 minutes.

"I set the timer for 45 min- utes, then start checking," said English, who pokes the beets through the foil with a small, sharp knife to test them. "If it feels firm, they need more time. But you don't want them too soft, either."

When the beets are done, remove them from the oven and let them sit in their packets for 10 to 15 minutes more. "They're still steaming," English said. "They also need to cool a little before you can handle them."

When cool, rub the skins off with a damp towel (it may get stained). Paper towels work, too.

"The skin comes right off," English said. But with red beets, so will the color.

The solution? Wear rubber gloves.

• Or try this: To remove beet juice from fingers, rub with wet salt and lemon juice, then wash with soap and water.

• To remove beet juice from cutting boards and plastic containers, use a diluted bleach solution.

• What about the smell? When boiling beets, add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the cooking water. It reduces the odor and helps preserve their bright color.

• For older beets, add a pinch each of sugar and salt to each cup of cooking water to revive sweetness and color.

• To microwave whole beets, pierce the skin and place in a microwavable dish. Add 2 tablespoons water. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Cook on high for 9 to 12 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before cooling and peeling.

• To avoid bleeding of color into other ingredients, add beets to salads just before serving.

• Simple pickled beets: Boil 1 pound whole beets until fork tender (20 to 30 minutes for small beets, up to two hours for larger beets). Cool and peel. Cut the beets into 1/4-inch slices, 1/2-inch dice or wedges.

Combine 1/2 cup mild vinegar, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small stainless steel saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.

Put beets in a glass bowl or jar and pour the hot liquid over them. Let cool uncovered. When room temperature, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving. Makes 2 cups.

Chard tips

• Anything you can do with spinach, you can do with chard. Small, immature leaves can be eaten raw, but the mature leaves are much better cooked.

• The stems can be used fresh like celery. Chop and add to salads. Or serve with dip as a crunchy snack.

• Compared with other greens, chard cooks quickly. It's best sautéed or steamed.

To sauté, cut chard into thin strips. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. The stems take longer to cook than the leaves. Add chopped stems to the pan first. Let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the greens.

Stir and sauté until the chard is wilted and tender; about 5 minutes.

• To steam, place thinly sliced chard with 1/4 cup water in a large pot. Bring to boil, cover, then reduce heat to low. Let steam about 10 minutes or until the chard is tender. Drain.

• Chard's green leaves may be blanched and frozen for later use. Remove stems first. Steam greens for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Transfer to freezer containers. In the freezer, these greens will keep for three months and can be used in recipes like frozen spinach.

– Debbie Arrington

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