Separate the greens from the beetroots.
Set the greens aside for now. Thoroughly wash and peel the beets, then grate them using the coarse side of a box grater or the shredding attachment on a food processor.
Carefully wash the beet greens to remove any grit. To de-rib them, fold each leaf in half and pull the tough stem away from the leaf. Stack the destemmed leaves, roll them up like a cigar, and thinly slice them into ribbons.
Melt the 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once it's shimmering, add the sliced beet greens and a pinch of salt.
Sauté for 1-2 minutes, just until the greens have wilted.
Add the grated beets to the skillet.
Toss everything together and cook, stirring often, until the beets are tender-crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Sprinkle the sugar over the beet mixture, toss again to coat everything, and cook for one final minute to create a light glaze.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately with a small pat of butter melting over each serving.
