Utilize

Summer Utah Ratatouille, Braised Beet Greens with Smoky Blue Beet Salad, Wild Mushroom Polenta
 

Serves 4

Recipe by: Mark Benson

This is an incredible showcase of Utah's fresh produce, a unique blue cheese from Rogue Creamery of Oregon, and the utilization of the beet "greens" that usually end up in the compost pile.

Summer Utah Ratatouille

Zucchini 1 small

Summer Squash 1 small

Okra Small handful

Roma and/or San Marzano Tomato       2 tomatoes plus juice    

Yellow Onion 1 small

Eggplant 1 small

Asparagus 1/2 a bunch

Carrot 1 small

Celery 2 sticks

Garlic 2 cloves

Anaheim Pepper 1 each

Tarragon, fresh

Kosher salt & pepper

Rinse all vegetables in cold water first.

Cut zucchini and squash first in half length wise, then again in half length wise so you have 4 long quarters. Hold knife on a 45 degree angle and cut out the seed portion on all the quarters. (There is a lot of moisture in the seed core, and when cooked with everything else causes it to get mushy).

Cut the zucchini, squash, onion, carrot, celery, anaheim peppers (de-seeded), and eggplant into 1/2 inch dice. Cut the okra stems off, then into 1/2 inch discs. Slice the garlic cloves whole as thin as possible. 

    You can leave the tomato skins on, or if you are up for the challenge, score one end of the tomato with an "X", drop into boiling water for 30 seconds or until the skin starts to peel away, and then shock in ice water to stop the cooking process, then peel the skin off, quarter the tomato, remove seeds and dice. You can opt to use canned San Marzano tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice and reserve some of the tomato juice to add to the finish product at the end.

    Grab the asparagus by the bottom and "snap" off the hard woody end. Peel the asparagus with a vegetable/potato peeler then cut into 1" pieces cutting on an angle(bias) for bonus fancy points.

Add a little oil to a large saute pan, add celery, carrot, onion and peppers to pan first, let cook for a few minutes, then add rest of ingredients. Saute on medium high heat, adding reserved tomato juice and salt & pepper at the end and tossing to coat evenly.

Braised Beet Greens with Smokey Blue Beet Salad

Red beets, greens reserved 1 small bunch, golfball size

Chiogga beets, greens reserved 1 small bunch, golfball size

Bacon 2 strips, diced small

Garlic 2 cloves, sliced whole thin    

Pecans, simple candied 1/2 cup

Sugar 1 Tablespoon

Paprika 1 pinch

Tarragon, fresh 1 Tablespoon

Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Cheese   1/4 cup, crumbled

Grain mustard 1 Tablespoon

Red wine vinegar 1 Tablespoon

Extra virgin olive oil 2 Tablespoons

Kosher salt & pepper To taste

• Rogue Creamery smokey blue cheese can be found at Whole Foods, Smith's, Liberty Heights in Sugarhouse or other specialty stores. Check them out online, they have amazing cheese.

Cut green tops off of beets, and wash thoroughly both the greens and the beets. Hand pick all the long stems off of the greens, reserving the tops.

    Cook beets covered in just boiling water, checking after 25 minutes by piercing with a small knife for doneness. Drain, allow to cool just until you can handle them, and peel skins off with a paper towel. Cut in half, then into 1/4 slices.

    Add the bacon into a deep sided pan, cold... turn heat on medium and allow the bacon fat to render slowly for a few minutes. Add the garlic and stir for a few minutes being careful not to get color on the garlic. Add the beet greens and stir to coat. Let cook for a few minutes, season with Kosher salt and pepper, stirring well then add enough water( chicken or vegetable stock is a bonus) to barely fill pan and cook on low heat until greens are nice and tender, about 10 minutes.

In a medium saute pan, carefully toast the pecans on low heat, tossing and shaking pan until pecans become aromatic and lightly browned. Add a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of paprika into the pan and toss with pecans until they are coated. Remove from heat onto a flat surface, let cool, then rough chop.

In a large bowl add grain mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Whisk together, then add beets, tarragon, Blue cheese and pecans. Toss and salt & pepper to taste.

Wild Mushroom Polenta

Corn polenta, (instant, imported, corn grits)        1/2 cup

Wild mushrooms, dried 1/4 cup

Chicken or vegetable stock 2 1/2 cups

Shallot, small dice 1 each

Garlic, finely grated 1 clove

Parmesan cheese, grated to your taste

Salt and pepper to taste

In a small pot, add 1 cup of the stock and the dried mushrooms, bring to a simmer, turn heat off, cover and rehydrate for 30 minutes. Drain and RESERVE liquid. 

In a medium pot add a tablespoon of olive oil, add shallot on medium low heat and sweat the shallot for a few minutes, careful not to get any color on the shallot. Add the stock along with the reserved mushroom liquid and bring just to a boil. Sprinkle in polenta slowly then whisk well to avoid clumps. Turn heat to low, add garlic and mushrooms. Cook according to package instructions, usually 10 to 20 minutes. Fold in parmesan cheese at the end, season with salt & pepper to taste.

Comments

[Janiekoleske]

That sounds absolutely delicious! Never would have thought you could eat beet greens!