Buying beets with the beet greens still attached is like getting two ingredients in one. To turn them into this fabulous salad, roast the beets until they’re sweet, blanch the greens until they’re tender, then toss both with olive oil, lemon and anchovies. Slideshow: Great Beet Recipes
How to Make It
Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the greens from the beets and discard the stems. Put the beets in a small roasting pan and add 1/2 cup of water. Cover the roasting pan with foil and bake for about 45 minutes, until the beets are tender. Let cool, then peel the beets and slice them crosswise ¹/3 inch thick.
In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the beet greens until they are bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the greens and let them cool. Lightly squeeze out the excess water from the greens and coarsely chop them.
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil with the lemon juice and the 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sliced beets. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beets to plates. Add the greens to the bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss with the remaining dressing in the bowl. Transfer the greens to the plates along with the white anchovies. Garnish with lemon zest and serve.
