BEATing Around the Bush: The Spinach Issue

The recent spinach scare has some folks reconsidering the green as a food option. It's become a hard-to-find item in restaurants and grocery stores, which I find ridiculous (talk about tossing out the pasta with the boiling water). But ever-looking for that silver lining, it's an incredible opportunity for other greens. Arugula is jumping out of the wings like an ambitious understudy, and I'd like to make a proper introduction to one of my all time favorite greens, those belonging to the beet.

Arugula is peppery and spicy as you know if you've watched Food Network for more than 5 minutes. It has a fragile baby salad-version that is a counterpart to baby spinach, often found in mesclun mixes. It has a heartier version, too, that comes rubber-banded and is often nestled right up against our missing pal spinach. I like to cook that kind, or toss it in with pastas. I was once taught how to make an ox-tail stew by an Argentinean woman who always threw in a handful of greens, like watercress or arugula, at the end of a her braising cooking, much like we'd add a sprinkle of fresh parsley to our dishes. The more assertive watercress and arugula balances those heavy meat flavors and refreshes the dish.

But the sleeper green here is beet greens. As you know if you've been reading, I'm thrifty. I like beat greens, first and foremost, because they come FREE with beautiful, perfect, just picked beets. Let's put it this way; if the greens are still attached, chances are the beets haven't been sitting in some cellar for the last 10 months. Know what I mean?

But don't just toss those greens into a salad, as these puppies need to be cooked before you eat them. Wash them well, heat some pine nuts in a skillet, add a little olive oil, put in the greens (they shrink, just like spinach), cover and let cook about 5 minutes. Season with S&P and you've got a vital, delicious green. Enjoy!


Arugula Salad with Beets, Almonds & Goat Cheese
Serves 4 to 6

This epitomizes the notion that "simple is best". Roasted beets are sweet and intense. Pair them with fresh, bouncy greens, and top with almonds and cheese. But not just any almonds, Spanish Marcona's are rich and juicy (yes, a nut can be juicy), more delicious than any American almond. They can be found a quality cheese shops. Spend a little time selecting a better-than average goat cheese. I like Cypress Grove Purple Haze.

1 bunch beets, greens reserved for another use; beets scrubbed
Walnut oil, Argan oil, or a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, salt
1 large bunch arugula, trimmed and cleaned
1 handful marcona almonds
2 ounces goat cheese
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, or squeeze of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 400F. Make sure beets are well scrubbed, and no bigger than 2-inches in diameter. The more consistent your beet sizes are, the more evenly they will cook. Lay the beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil; drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Wrap up, and place in the oven. Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the tip of a knife comes out easily. (If you don't have foil, like I didn't, just place the beets in a pre-warmed skillet, cover and continue along.)

Let beets cool until you can touch them; remove the skins (they should slip off, but they will stain your hands...you may want to use gloves). Slice and reserve.

Just before serving, toss the arugula with oil and vinegar (roughly using 2 to 3 times as much oil as vinegar), and season with salt and pepper. Eyeball it, then toss the greens with your hands. Taste a leaf to determine if it's seasoned properly. Top the greens with the beets, sprinkle the almonds, and gently crumble (not the best term, as the cheese is soft, but you know what I mean) the goat cheese over the salad.

Then call to let me know how wondeful it was. And next time you shop, pick up some spinach. Just make sure it's locally grown and not victim to all the weirdness of industrial farming. Enjoy.