Did she just say "Let's do a Throwdown?"

It’s been a very exciting couple of weeks for me. This past Saturday (August 11) I was competing against fellow blogger JL Fields in a Farmers Market Throwdown. The evolution of this event was somewhat random and then took on a life of it’s own! A few weeks back I created a very tasty Cold Beet Soup that JL commented on. Being a vegan she is always on the look-out for new recipes to use for her clients. After a few email exchanges with Liz Johnson, our fearless leader and Journal News Food Editor, the friendly competition was born.

First, here’s a quick look at my entry in the Throwdown, the Chipotle Black Bean Burger on You Tube.

 

I thought it would be fun to go live to a farm in Westchester to choose our main ingredient. Larry and Marian at Amawalk Farm were happy to help.

Their farm is just lovely.

Here is Sam keeping an eye on us as we walk towards the field.

They told us they are growing Sweet Potatoes for the first time this year.

Here is the Kale patch … JL was very excited!

and here are their Rainbow Chard I used for my Cold Chard Soup.

Here is a fun pic of our husbands toting cameras and video equipment. They were such good sports that day while we walked around oohing and ahhing at all the marvelous vegetables!

We decided on Cipollini Onions

and Bunching Onions

I also came upon their beet patch. I picked a few of them too, wondering if I would be able to incorporate them somehow?

My mind was racing – what could I do? I will admit on the drive home at one point I looked over at Larry and said “What the heck was I thinking? How am I going to use onions??” To which he replied, “If you were on Chopped or Iron Chef America you would do it in a snap!” Very true! (My husband is a wise man!)

Once I got it all home I laid them out on the counter and started raiding my pantry: couscous … black beans … chipotle … I immediately thought “burger.” We also decided at the farm that I would make every effort to “vegan-ize” the recipe so JL’s constituents would be able to eat it too. The only animal product I would be using was egg, as the binder. No problem, the swap out for an egg is 1 tablespoon of ground flax plus 3 tablespoons of water.

So let’s get to my burger. This recipe is super easy and comes together in less than 30 minutes, especially if you have a food processor.

Saute bunching onion with jalapeño pepper.

Add in the beet, then mix it all together.

I used some beautiful cilantro that was in my CSA basket that week from  Gaia’s Breath Farm.

We decided on two types of onions at the farm. The bunching went into the burger. I took the cipollinis and used them for a topping. The recipe for the topping is adapted from Bobby Flay’s Oaxaca Dog recipe. (Incidentally from a Throwdown he did!) I love his version and use it a lot for Larry. For this recipe I changed it up a little.

Here is my finished product. (The full recipe is below) I really think it’s a winner! The flavors really come together and pack a great flavor punch. I topped it with some Asiago cheese, but if you are vegan, that would be left off. 

Buon Appetito!

Chipotle Black Bean, Couscous and Beet Veggie Burger
Makes 6 patties

1/2 cup couscous
1 garlic clove, cut in half
2/3 cup boiling water
3-4 Amawalk Farm Bunching Onion bulbs, about 3/4 cup chopped fine, tops reserved
2 teaspoons finely diced jalapeno
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1/4 cup shredded raw beet from 1 medium beet
2 (15.5-ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed, setting aside 1/2 cup
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
Zest of 1 lime and juice of half of it (reserve other half for the pickled onions)
1 egg beaten, or 1 tablespoon ground flax with 3 tablespoons of water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Lettuce
Mayonnaise
Asiago Cheese, optional, but very tasty! 

Make the pickled onions first and set aside to cool. (See separate recipe.) If using ground flax substitute for the egg combine that now and set aside to absorb.

Place the couscous, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the water over it and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor chop the bunching onions but not quite to the liquid stage. They should be a little smaller than 1/4-inch dice. Place in a sauté pan with 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil along with the jalapeno, garlic and beet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and sauté until most of the liquid evaporates. (Cook’s note: The mix should be soft and smooth, but not caramelized. Use a spoon to stir is around so the bottom doesn’t burn.) Turn off the heat and set aside to cool slightly. You should have about ½ cup of the onion-beet mixture when you are done.

Fluff your couscous up with a fork and place in a large mixing bowl. Break up any lumps with your fingers.

In the same food processor pulse the black beans until they are broken up. (Remember to keep 1/2 cup whole.) Add the pulsed beans to the couscous along with the egg or flax mixture, onion-beet mixture, whole beans, lime zest, lime juice, chopped chipotle and cilantro. Season with another teaspoon of salt and mix well.

Form into patties and pan fry in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil. You want to get a nice golden brown crust on both sides. After flipping the burger, add the the Asiago on top to melt slightly, if desired.

To serve spread plain mayo on the bun and top with lettuce, pickled onions and the reserved bunching onion tops.

(Recipe created by me exclusively for the August 11, 2012 John Jay Farm Market Throwdown!)

Pickled Onions

2 Amawalk Farm cipollini onions sliced thin, or 1 small red onion
2 garlic cloves, sliced in half
1 teaspoon finely diced jalapeno pepper
12 leaves of cilantro roughly chopped, 2-3 stems
1/2 cup fresh lime juice from 2-3 limes
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon each of superfine sugar and kosher salt

Place the onion, garlic, pepper and cilantro in a non-reactive container. Then place the lime juice, vinegar, salt and sugar in a small glass measuring cup. Microwave the liquid on high for 1 minute. Pour over the onion mix and set aside to cool. Refrigerate the unused portion.

Adapted from Bobby Flays’s Oaxaca Hot Dog Recipe on foodnetwork.com.

Heart Healthy Beets

Growing up in Pittsburgh in the early 70’s I remember my mother always having canned goods in the house. The Green Giant variety seems to be my main recollection; corn, peas, green beans and beets.  It’s funny to think about that now, because in our house the only two canned vegetables I keep in my pantry are tomatoes for sauce and beans for salads. I will say that I generally enjoy making beans from scratch, as they are really not hard to make - only requiring a little planning on my part to soak over night; but in a pinch, for a quick dish, you can’t go wrong with having ceci, cannellini or even black beans handy.

I remember my mother always saying my Dad liked beets (and still does) and she would make them, using the canned variety of course, with sliced onions and olive oil. I honestly have no real food memory of eating them as a little kid, strange to say, but I’m sure I did. I think the first time I had a fresh beets was many years later, buying them at Fairway in New York City, near my first apartment building on the Upper West Side. After a quick perusal of my Better Homes and Garden cookbook (the only one I had back then) I boiled, peeled and sliced them. I remember I loved the fresh earthy flavor. Not being completely set up in my kitchen or even having a clear cooking thought-process in those days, I decided that even though I did like them, they seemed too messy and complicated to deal with. (Shame on me!) It would not be until years later when I really started to expand my culinary repertoire that I rediscovered them, and have been making them pretty regularly ever since.

Beets are generally known to be red. It’s only been in the past few years the beautiful golden variety have made an appearance in grocery stores and given mainstream shoppers some variety. Farmers markets on the other hand have not only red and gold, but also white – which are quite pretty.

I like to think of beets as a real “super food.” They are very low in calories and contain only small amount of fat. Their nutritional benefits come particularly from fiber, vitamins, minerals, and unique plant derived anti-oxidants. Red beets are a rich source of a compound called Betaine. Betaine is important as it helps lower the amino acid homocysteine, which is linked to heart disease. Raw beets are an excellent source of Folate  and Vitamin C. Beet greens (the tops) are an excellent source of Vitamin A.

So with all that great goodness, what should we do? After a little pondering, I decided it would be fun to show you two different ways to use beets in recipes this week: one is a simple salad and one a cold soup.

Your initial prep for both recipes will be the same: trim the stalk about 2 inches from the beet, and set the greens/stalks aside. With a small brush clean the beet under warm water to remove any dirt that might be lurking about, then give the stems and leaves a good rinse and set on some paper towels. You start the beets in cold water, as you would potatoes, adding equal amounts of salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer until cooked through. You want them to be tender in the middle, not mushy. So keep checking after about 10-15 minutes. Cook time all depends on their size. (I should note that since I was making the gold and red I cooked them in separate pots, wanting to keep the gold color.)

After they are done simply pull out of the water and let them cool a bit. If you are cooking the red variety I would suggest wearing disposable gloves at this point. Your hands will be stained for a few hours if not. Use a paper towel to rub off the skins while they are warm. If they end up getting cold you can use a vegetable peeler to get the job done.

For the beet salad I simple chopped up the greens and tossed them with equal parts of extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar with a pinch of salt, pepper and honey to taste. For this salad I kept the greens raw - but you can wilt them slightly in a sauté pan with olive oil. It's totally up to you - both ways they taste delicious.

I used the same dressing for the beets plus added a little mustard seed for flavor and texture. I also want to note that the best time to add your dressing is when they are still warm. Once the beets get cold, very much like potatoes, the dressing doesn't get a chance to soak in. They will still taste fine - but so much better if they can really take on the flavor! All together I had about a 1/2 cup of the dressing. So 1/4 cup each of vinegar and olive oil and then a dash of honey, salt and pepper. Use a couple of tablespoons on the greens and the rest for your beets. 

Starting with the same process for the soup I just added a few other things to my beets and came up with a pretty simple dish for you to try. My onion ratio ended up being 1 cup. Use what you have in your kitchen. Although I did not try it, I'm sure a sweet Vidalia would work just as well. So while the beets were cooking I sautéed my leek and scallion. The key is to just sweat the onions to soften them and bring out their natural sugars and flavor. I wasn't going for the caramelized flavor here. 

Everything goes straight to the blender to be pureed. I used the water that the beets were cooking in as my "stock" for the soup. You can see my ratio below, but do this to your preferred texture. Just keep in mind that the soup will thicken slightly as it cools. Recheck the seasoning at this point and add salt and pepper to taste. Then get it into a container and into the 'fridge. You want this soup to be nice and cold when you serve it.

For an added zip I topped it with a little chèvre, which I had handy and some of my beet greens - just because they are so darn pretty - and good for you too! You can also use a little plain Greek yogurt or even sour cream if you like ... I think a little tang set this soup right over the top.


I hope you enjoy these two ways to eat beets. I'll be at the Rye Brook Farmers Market this coming Saturday, so please stop by for a taste.

Buon Appetito!


Maria’s Cold Beet Soup
Serves 4-6

1 bunch of beets, about 1½ lb.
Sugar
Kosher Salt
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small leek, white part only, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
Chevre (goat) cheese
Beet green, garnish

Trim the greens from the beet leaving about 2” from the base of the beet. Wash the beets and greens thoroughly. Set the greens and stalks aside for another use, wrapping loosely in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag.

In a small sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil gently and add the equivalent of 1 cup of onion to the pan. Season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and gently sweat the onions until they are soft and translucent. Scoop out ½ cup of beet water and add to the pan mixing into the sautéed onions. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. 

Once the beets are cooked remove them from the pot, but save the liquid. Allow them to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, and then remove the skins using a paper towel. (You might also want to use latex gloves as well – the beets will definitely stain your hands!) Chop in to quarters and place in your blender. Add the onion mixture along with all of the liquid from that pan to beets in the blender. Then add 2 cups of beet water. Cover the lid of the blender with a kitchen towel if the liquid is still hot, and hold down firmly. Blend on the low speed and slowly increase. (This is very important, you don’t want the lid shooting off and making a huge mess in your kitchen.)

Place the beets in a small 4-quart pot and add cold water to cover by 3 inches. Add 1 tablespoon each of kosher salt and sugar. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer until the beets are tender on the inside, testing with a small paring knife. Depending on the size of the beets this step will take 10-20 minutes.

Once your mix is blended add another cup of the beet liquid pureeing very well and then check the consistency. Depending on your taste you can add a little more beet water, but I found this to be the best ratio with 1½ pounds of beets, which ended up being 9 in total, from my bunch.

Check for seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper to taste. Place the soup in a container and when completely cool cover and put in the ‘fridge for at least 3 hours.  To serve top with a tablespoon of chevre or plain Greek yogurt and garnish with some thinly sliced ribbons of a beet green.