Kitchen Garden Guidance

“We plant gardens because we love to eat fresh vegetables, and because we want to nourish ourselves and our families without toxic chemicals,” write down-to-earth gardening pros Natalie Bogwater and Chloe Lieberman in The New Natural Food Garden (Storey Publishing, 384 pages, $30). Published in March, this in-depth guidebook walks would-be green thumbs through the most effective methods for organically raising 36 common vegetables and herbs. The authors organize their expertise—gleaned from decades of hands-on experience as cofounders of the Growing Wise online gardening school—into easy-to-follow bullets and charts, including fresh ideas for backyard veggie patches, plant-specific instructions, and hearty timing tables based on region.

Sun-loving beets, for example, can be successively planted through spring and summer for harvesting June through November in our temperate climate. “Our gardens are bursting with beets in the summertime,” says Lieberman, who prefers the Lutz Green Leaf variety for their tasty green leaves and sweet, generous roots.

Whether you raise your own ruby gems or gather them from one of our area’s abundant farmers markets, Lieberman recommends highlighting them with her favorite beet salad: “This salad is so adaptable—beets go well with whatever herbs, seeds, nuts, and cheeses you’ve got on hand.” The key, she advises, is to dress the beets immediately after cooking and peeling to allow the warm vegetables to soak up the dressing’s earthy flavors.

Best Beet Salad

Courtesy of Chloe Lieberman
(serves 4)

• 4 small or 2 large beets, whole, skin on
• 6 Tbs. olive oil, plus extra for roasting
• 3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 3 tsp. balsamic reduction or honey, optional
• 1/2 to 2 garlic cloves, to taste 
• 1 to 2 cups fresh herbs (i.e., parsley, cilantro, dill, basil, tarragon, or smaller amounts of thyme)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cups toasted seeds/nuts (i.e., walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas)
• 2/3 cup crumbled feta (or substitute chevre, ricotta salata, or Greek yogurt)

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Rub the beets with olive oil. Roast in a covered pan for 45 to 60 minutes. (Alternatively, you can boil the beets in a covered pot for 30 to 60 minutes.) Beets are done when they can be easily pierced with a fork; larger beets will take longer. 

Let the beets cool and then peel using your hands or by rubbing gently with a paper towel (skins should slip off easy). Slice the beets to your desired size and shape (“slivers, cubes, half moons—whatever suits your fancy,” says Lieberman).

While the beets cook, make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, balsamic reduction or honey (if using), garlic, herbs (woody stems removed), salt, and pepper in a blender, or use an immersion blender to combine thoroughly. Pour the dressing over the sliced beets and stir to combine. 

At this point, the salad can be assembled or stored for up to a week in the refrigerator in a sealed container, where the beets will continue to marinate and become even more delicious.

When you’re ready to serve the salad, portion out the beets onto individual plates or into bowls. Sprinkle with toasted nuts/seeds and cheese/yogurt, then gently stir to combine. Take care not to let all of the toppings fall to the bottom. For an elevated serving option, garnish with a few sprigs of fresh herbs.