Beets
 

I have grown some this year and cooked a couple. I roasted them and took their jackets off, seasoned them. I just don't like them.....ugh.
I want to ,but just can't. Have you ever grown a vegetable and just couldn't stand it?

[QUOTE=ChristinaJo;552487]I have grown some this year and cooked a couple. I roasted them and took their jackets off, seasoned them. I just don't like them.....ugh.
I want to ,but just can't. Have you ever grown a vegetable and just couldn't stand it?[/QUOTE]


Oh, yes, I don't like hot radishes, mild are okay, but hot is ick. Cooked turnips also. ick.

I do like beets, but only the baby ones, too big taste too earthy for me.

And when you go to the restroom after eating a few you think you need to go to the ER!!!!!

mikeInCypress

Some beets taste more like dirt than others.;)Cylindra and Touchstone Gold are 2 varieties that are milder and sweeter to my taste. Also, I think roasting them makes them stronger so I prefer to boil or steam them and serve them with salt and butter.

I've grown lots of vegetables for the fun of it that I don't grow anymore because I really don't like them, including radishes, turnips, okra, celeriac, kohlrabi, yellow beans, artichokes, bok choi and many other greens.

Try making pickled honey beets!!

Recipe?

[url]http://foodinjars.com/2013/05/guest-post-pickled-beets-with-honey-from-camille-storch/[/url]

I used to make beet wine. Talk about either lovin it or hatin it.....no ground in the middle.

I never ate a beet I didn't like.
My mother used to make pickled beets by the boat load just for me.
I can eat them raw right out of the ground or in any other way.

Worth

Roasting gives them a deeper flavor, try washing but don't peel, then boil until soft. then peel, if you still want them sweeter look up a recipefor Harvard beets.

Be careful if you pickle them, there are a great many recipes out there, some just say to cover them in vinegar.

I make my own "perfumed vinegar" it is sweet and spicy without the acrid taste that just vinegar gives. If you don't find what takes your fancy on the net get back to me and I will post mine. It is a very old recipe from Yorkshire in the Uk, My Mum did beets with it. I am very very fussy about my pickling vinegar.

I really don't like the honey one posted sorry Luigi, but onions and beets together is a no no for me. I love onons but not in beets..acrid again.

XX Jeannine

I would LOVE your perfumed vinegar recipe, Jeannine Anne!
I leave the onions out myself. I've found that using Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother in it (and not the clear stuff) makes all the difference in the taste of the brine for me...

If you like really sweet pickled beets, my MIL's recipe calls for:

- Put equal parts water, white vinegar and sugar into a saucepan- amount depends on how many jars of beets you are canning. Add whole cloves, allspice, cinnamon stick to taste in a saucepan.

- Simmer on low while until spices infuse the liquid- at least 1/2 hour; remove spices.

- Meanwhile, boil, peel, slice beets; let them heat up in the liquid and then place in sterile jars or process as you desire.

Ok.. I make a lot at a time as I pickle quite a lot of beets. I prefer to use Malt Vinegar but I rarely see it in a gallon anymore and it is expensive buying it in small bottles so I use apple cider if I can't get the malt.

Mixed Pickling spice you will find in the spice rack at your supermarket it usually comes in 2 sizes.

2 litres of Malt Vinegar
1 litre of water
! 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of white sugar'
150 gram packet of pickling spice..

or with a 110 gr packet of pickling spice use 1/2 litres vinegar,3/4 litres water, 1 cup+2tbps of each of the sugars.


Put all of the above in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about an hour.. you cab tatse it at this point to see if you want it sweeter but I find this is just right.

Well strain it through muslin and but in large bottle..it will keep forever.

When you do the beets.. twist of the greenery, don't cut and don't cut the root either, they will bleed and you will lose flavor and color.

Cook them whole, simmer till soft.. don't over cook or they will break apart.

Put the pan in the sink and run cold water into it till the beets are cool enough to handle but are still hot, then still while there is water among them, slide off the skins, the water helps. Slice or dice them straight into sterilized jars, I slice mine, if they are babies leave whole. Heat enough vinegar to cover them, bring it to a boil and pour over beets. Put on lids and caps , and water bath for 10 minutes.

You might want to wear rubber gloves otherwise you will have red hands for a week.

You can adjust the sugar to suit yourself but this is exactly as I like it. Half brown and half white gives it a sweetness but also add flavor from the brown.

The perfumed vinegar can be used for many things. I do pickled red cabbage in it, small onions . shallots and even hard boiled eggs sometimes.. now that is real Yorkshire Pub Grub, slightly different way of doing those so let me know if you need to do it.

I use a similar vinegar when I make my English Green Tomato chutney too.

XX Jeannine

oh one of my favourite vegetables, nothing like fresh from the garden baby beets and greens :) everyone is different
KarenO

Thank you Jeannine Anne! And how about that recipe for the green chutney? What do you do with the chutney? I always have a problem with green tomatoes at the end!

I can my chutney finish it off in a water bath which is perfectly safe as the acid balance is fine and it keeps for years. I am by the way VERY particular about canning, in fact I get myself into trouble all the time telling folks they are out of date and taking chanced LOL

Anyway here it is.



NANA FAIRFIELD'S GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

You will need, apples, green tomatoes ,onions, sultanas or raisins, sugar, vinegar,
salt ,nutmeg ,curry powder,(an over the counter one will do if you don't make your own)

You will also need vinegar I use malt if I can and pickling spices. Or you an use the already made perfumed vinegar if you have it.

Chop, everything, don't grind it,but crush the garlic.

Then to every 3 cups of chopped tomatoes add...
3 cups chopped apples
3 cups copped onions
1 cup sultanas or raisins
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 cups malt vinegar
1/4 cup of pickling spices tied in a muslin square
if you have the already made vinegar use 1 1'/2 cups of that and leave out the spices

Put as many batches as you have measured for in a large pan except for the apples and raisins, pop them in a bit later when the onions are stating to soften so they don't break down .

Simmer gently till everything is soft and there is less liquid

You want to be able to recognize what is in it so don't overcook it the liquid will be mostly absorbed and what is there will be syrupy .Place in sterilized proper canning jars and water bath for 15 minutes.


Then to make the best UK PUB GRUB sandwich called a Ploughmans

No butter on the bread but mayo both sides, then chutney boht sides ,fill with chopped crisp lettuce, thin sliced cucumber, thin sliced tomato, very thin sliced red onion and grated very sharp cheddar cheese. I have yet to find a Canadian or US cheese to match the UK strong cheddar, here can get imported ones. I find the others use a flavoring to "improve" the age of cheese, which isn't used in the UK.. but I think it just may be whatever you are used to


Great sandwich, oh and it goes great with cold cuts, any cheese plate and especially with curries

XX Jeannine

Jeannine.
I got into a discussion about American made cheese with a guy that swore by Tillamook or what ever that stuff is.
Not to just spout my mouth off I bought him some Kerrygold aged cheese and some other stuff from out of this country.
I bought enough for him and also for his wife at home to try.
After he came back to work he told me, "my wife and I hate you we cant eat the other cheese now.:))
When I tell someone something is better I buy it for them and let them try it.
I have always been this way.

Worth

Oh Well done Worth.. the education of a potential cheese gourmet, I love it.

I was very surprised to find out some years ago that there is an ingredient that can give cheese an aged taste when it is not. I have tried all I can to find a extra old cheddar here but they all have that slightly bitter flavor. The texture is more rubbery too.

Costco is good, I can buy a few there.. Dubliner, Miners and another one simply called Coastal which they describe as a rugged cheddar.

I buy many different cheeses from all over the world including some Us ones but for cheddar it has to be imported fr me.

I used to buy blocks of extra old Tillamook every time I crossed the border as it was much cheaper than anything this side. It was great for mac cheese, toasted cheese sandwiches with a bit of worcester sauce added,and cheese sauce for cauliflower etc but not as a stand alone cheese.

XX Jeannine

Thank you SO much for the recipes, Jeannine. I can't wait to try a Ploughmans!

Luigi, I have a few recipes that I really should share, I am getting on and I have few I have never shared with anyone..like my Grand Marnier Marmalade Jelly. my Mum's Chestnut Stuffing for the neck end of the turkey, or maybe my "Maple Cream Sticky Buns ..to Die For.. all my Mums homemade Mincemeeat, Christmas puddings and Christmas Cake, her English Pork pie.. and all her wartime recipes making something out of nothing with really odd meats.When I pop off they will die too..Maybe I should do something with them. You have made me think.

[QUOTE=Jeannine Anne;553046]Luigi, I have a few recipes that I really should share, I am getting on and I have few I have never shared with anyone..like my Grand Marnier Marmalade Jelly. my Mum's Chestnut Stuffing for the neck end of the turkey, or maybe my "Maple Cream Sticky Buns ..to Die For.. all my Mums homemade Mincemeeat, Christmas puddings and Christmas Cake, her English Pork pie.. and all her wartime recipes making something out of nothing with really odd meats.When I pop off they will die too..Maybe I should do something with them. You have made me think.[/QUOTE]

There is an English butcher on youtube that does a really good job with some of this old school stuff.
I was in the store today in the meat department.
An older African American lady was next to me and we were talking about the meats and how the price of ox tails had went up.
One thing led to another and she gave me a fantastic complement.
She told me I was old school.:)
It is one thing to be called that by a kid but another to be called that by an older person.
You really should start a thread in the recipes section for all of us to enjoy.
Worth

Aren't recipes meant to be shared? Can I bribe you for them? :P
"Really odd meats" are making a come back these days - people are coming around to delicious and nutritious things like liver and heart are! I am on that band wagon!
If you aren't inclined to set up a blog to document your recipes, I would highly encourage you to post them here at least (is that allowed if they don't have tomatoes in them?)

Arugala... ugh! I just can't stand it.

[QUOTE=clkeiper;553100]Arugala... ugh! I just can't stand it.[/QUOTE]

what! that's crazy talk! LOL! thats the green I love most as salads!

[QUOTE=luigiwu;553087]Aren't recipes meant to be shared? Can I bribe you for them? :P
"Really odd meats" are making a come back these days - people are coming around to delicious and nutritious things like liver and heart are! I am on that band wagon!
If you aren't inclined to set up a blog to document your recipes, I would highly encourage you to post them here at least (is that allowed if they don't have tomatoes in them?)[/QUOTE]

I put stuff up without tomatoes all of the time.
I would say 90% of the time.

Worth

[QUOTE=luigiwu;553101]what! that's crazy talk! LOL! thats the green I love most as salads![/QUOTE]

Give me beets anyday.

My beet secret...
Get a whole bunch of radish seeds..
Get a whole bunch of beet seeds...
Mix them together, plant in 2 foot wide rows
Weed accordingly,
About the time you are picking radishes, you will see the beets sprouting...

I will post them but not just now, I am going to get them in s me sort of order as many are scribbled on scraps of paper, I will try to make them into some sort of a booklet, then do something with it,, but you might find some really weird stuff in there..like tripe,or a version of head cheese, plus of course Yorkshire curd cakes and rockbuns, kedgeree etc etc and a sceamingly good genuine Yorkshiire Pudding, oh and not to forget green tomato sweet pie and zuchinni sweet pie too.

I will give it my best shot through the summer so if anyone wants to use any for Christmas they can.

[QUOTE=Jeannine Anne;553171]I will post them but not just now, I am going to get them in s me sort of order as many are scribbled on scraps of paper, I will try to make them into some sort of a booklet, then do something with it,, but you might find some really weird stuff in there..like tripe,or a version of head cheese, plus of course Yorkshire curd cakes and rockbuns, kedgeree etc etc and a sceamingly good genuine Yorkshiire Pudding, oh and not to forget green tomato sweet pie and zuchinni sweet pie too.

I will give it my best shot through the summer so if anyone wants to use any for Christmas they can.[/QUOTE]
Yay! I am so glad. This is the kind of thing you need to write down so the recipes arn't lost, but not everyone can do it. I wish I had my grandmothers recipe book. I am not certain who has it if it is still around. My MIL's umm, I can't read it. Some of it is in serbian. and the writing is too spidery...light, hard to read..faded? just sad.

Ive gotten my mother in law to start using Google Docs to document her recipes electronically - she didn't want the disappearing. That way all her recipes can be shared with all 6 of her kids and whoever else she wanted...