In season: beets

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

By C. W. Cameron - For the AJC



Tim Stewart and his wife Nichelle have lived in the Free Home community of Cherokee County for more than 40 years. Several generations of Stewarts kept big gardens there, and as teenagers Stewart and his brother would sell watermelons for pocket money. When he established his family in Free Home, Stewart kept the tradition of putting in a big garden and set up a farm stand to sell extra fruit and vegetables for “vacation money.” About six years ago, the family turned their hobby into a business, establishing Rockin’ S Farms.

Nichelle Stewart manages the seasonal Saturday morning Woodstock Farmers Market where Rockin’ S sets up a booth. The Stewarts still keep a stand on the farm as well and offer their customers the chance to preorder produce which can be picked up on Tuesdays and Fridays. When they have a bounty, they also sell at the Thursday evening Sweet Apple Farmers Market in Roswell.

Beet Risotto (styling by Chef Daniel Porubiansky ) 

(Photography by Renee Brock/Special)

If that wasn’t enough, they also offer farm camp for children ages 3 to 13, with sessions available during spring break and for 10 weeks during the summer.

Among the many winter crops they plant, beets are a customer favorite. Right now Stewart is growing “Detroit Red,” an heirloom variety that’s probably the standard for red beets. The beets themselves are uniformly sweet and the greens are just as tasty.

“You can plant beets pretty much any time. But it can be a gamble. Some years, we plant it and it comes on and grows. Some years we plant it and it rots in the ground. When we plant in January, we should have harvestable beets come March. Baby beets are ready in 40 days, and larger ones are ready in 50 to 75 days, depending on the weather,” said Stewart.

Weather is the critical factor for Stewart since he doesn’t grow his beets in a tunnel house or with row covers. “We just plant it and hope for the best.” He grows his beets in the cooler months, putting in a crop in late August or early September which should yield a harvest by November. Then he plants again in January for a second crop.“You can plant beets pretty much any time. But it can be a gamble. Some years, we plant it and it comes on and grows. Some years we plant it and it rots in the ground. When we plant in January, we should have harvestable beets come March. Baby beets are ready in 40 days, and larger ones are ready in 50 to 75 days, depending on the weather,” said Stewart.

“They just don’t grow as well in hot months for us. A lot of people will argue about that and plant them in May, but I’ve never had luck with them then.”

What he doesn’t have any trouble with is selling his beets. “Our customers love it when we bring gold beets, or the long cylinder types. And people love the tops. They juice the greens or put them into salads.”

Stewart’s personal favorite way to enjoy a beet is roasted with olive oil and salt. “They’re high in iron, and we have lots of customers who juice them leaves and all. I have a shake like that every morning.”

Beet Risotto with Roasted and Pickled Beets

This recipe comes from Daniel Porubiansky, executive chef/partner of Woodstock’s Century House Tavern. Porubiansky is one of the Stewarts’ biggest fans. “I love using local produce at Century House Tavern and Rockin’ S Farm is a major part of the local produce on my menu. In fact, I credit them on my menu along with other local farmers here in the Woodstock area. Tim and Nichelle are two of the most genuine people you will ever meet. Their local produce inspires my ideas for the menu on a weekly basis.”

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 bay leaf

2 cups Arborio rice

1 cup white wine

8 cups chicken stock, divided

2 large red beets, divided (about 3/4 pound each)

1 cup water, plus more if needed

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

6 sprigs parsley, leaves picked from stem and finely chopped

Roasted Beets (see recipe)

Pickled Beets (see recipe)

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion and bay leaf and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add rice and continue to stir. When the rice begins to stick, add white wine and stir until the wine is reduced. In 1/2 cup portions, add 6 cups chicken stock and continue to stir for the next 18 minutes. If not serving immediately, remove from heat and place on rimmed baking sheet in a thin layer. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. This step may be done a day or two in advance. If serving immediately, keep warm.

While rice is cooking, make beet puree: In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Peel and cut one beet into 1/2-inch dice. You should have about 2 cups diced beets. Add to butter and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water, increase heat and bring mixture to a boil. Boil until liquid cooks away and beets are tender. If liquid is gone before beets are tender, add a little more water and continue to cook. When beets are tender, move them to the jar of a blender, add 2 tablespoons butter and puree. If not serving immediately, move to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. This step may be done a day or two in advance. If serving immediately, set aside.

While rice is cooking, peel and juice the second beet. Reserve 1/4 cup liquid and save the remainder for another use.

When ready to serve, bring remaining 2 cups chicken stock to a boil. Add to risotto and stir until risotto is warmed through. Season to taste. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter, reserved beet juice, beet puree, Parmesan and parsley. Taste for seasoning and divide between serving plates. Garnish with pickled and roasted beets. Serves: 6

Per serving: 497 calories (percent of calories from fat, 37), 22 grams protein, 61 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 22 grams fat (11 grams saturated), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 186 milligrams sodium.

Roasted Beets

Trouble finding baby beets in several colors? It’s fine to just use one or two colors instead. And if you can’t find baby beets at all, substitute 1 large beet in place of each bunch, expecting that the large beets will probably take 1 hour to cook.

1 bunch each baby red, baby gold, and baby candy stripe beets

1 teaspoon cumin seed, divided

1 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more if needed

3 sprigs thyme, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove greens from beets leaving a 1/2-inch stem. Wash thoroughly. Reserve greens for another use.

On a 12-inch square of aluminum foil, arrange one bunch of beets. Sprinkle with 1/3 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1/3 teaspoon salt. Add one sprig thyme and tightly seal package. Repeat with remaining two colors of beets. Arrange foil packages on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 30 minutes or until beets are tender. Remove from oven, carefully open foil and let beets stand 5 minutes. Peel beets and cut them into bite-size pieces. Gently toss with olive oil and salt to taste. Should be prepared when ready to serve risotto. Makes: 3 cups

Per 1/4-cup serving: 33 calories (percent of calories from fat, 90), trace protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace fiber, 3 grams fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 183 milligrams sodium.

Pickled Beets

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup water

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons peppercorns

3 medium beets – one each, gold, red and candy striped

Make pickling liquid: In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, water, bay leaves, coriander seed, fennel seed, mustard seed and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Set aside to cool.

Peel beets and slice thinly on mandoline. Keep each type of beet separate in its own glass, ceramic or stainless steel bowl. Divide pickling liquid between bowls of beets, taking care to divide spices evenly. Cover and refrigerate. Must be done at least 1 day in advance, and can be done up to 2 days in advance. Makes: 3 cups

Per 1/4-cup serving: 70 calories (percent of calories from fat, 3), 1 gram protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 17 milligrams sodium.