Beets Baked in Foil
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: About 1 hour
This is the single best method for cooking beets. It produces beets that are firm and not at all waterlogged. Better, perhaps, is that it’s easy, neat, and convenient: once cooked, you can eat them or store them without further handling until youв’re ready to eat.
At that point you unwrap and peel them, then slice them and heat in butter or oil, eat them cold, or proceed with any other beet recipe. Since large beets will take much longer to cook than small ones, try to buy beets that are roughly equal in size.
You donв’t have to roast them individually wrapped. If you’re planning to use them all at once, right away, just put in a roasting pan or heavy skillet, cover, and proceed as directed.
Other vegetables you can use: turnips or rutabagas or other root vegetables.
4 large or 8 medium beets, about 11/2 to 2 pounds
Preheat the oven to 400В°F. Wash the beets well. Wrap them individually in foil and put them on a cookie sheet or roasting pan.
Cook, undisturbed, for 45 to 90 minutes, until a thin-bladed knife pierces one with little resistance (they may cook at different rates; remove each one when it is done). Use in Precooked Vegetables with Butter or Oil or any other recipe that calls for cooked beets; or store, refrigerated, for a couple of days before using.
