Beets and Green Beans with Skordalia

As I looked through my cookbook for a recipe to take to cooking club on Greek Night, I came across this recipe that was perfect for my CSA veggies this week: potatoes, green beans, and beets!

Beets and Green Beans with Skordalia (adapted from The Foods of the Greek Islands by Aglaia Kremezi)
3 lg potatoes, halved

Garlic Sauce:
3 slices of whole wheat bread with crusts removed
1/2 c sliced blanched almonds, soaked in water for 2-3 hours or more, and drained
3-5 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic
Salt
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
5 beets, cooked in boiling salted water until tender, peeled and sliced
1 lb green beans, cooked in boiling salted water until just tender, and drained
2-3 T red wine vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the potatoes until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and mash the potatoes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, make the garlic sauce: Place the bread, almonds, 1-2 T of lemon juice, garlic, and salt to taste in a food processor and process into a smooth paste.

In a medium bowl, combine the garlic sauce, potatoes, oil, the remaining 1-2 T of lemon juice and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To assemble: Mound the garlic potatoes in the middle of a serving platter and arrange the beet slices around one side and the green beans on the other. Sprinkle the vegetables with vinegar and drizzle olive oil over the potato mixture. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Breakfast Beets That Are Good Enough for Dinner

Breakfast Beets That Are Good Enough for Dinner

1 lb beets
1 T butter (I like how it browns the beets, but you could also use olive oil)
handful of arugula
2 T pepitas
2 eggs, beaten
3 T feta cheese
salt and pepper
splash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

1. Slice the greens off of your beets, leaving about the last inch attached to the beet (use the greens in another dish). Add them to a pot and cover with water. Add t of salt and boil them until you can insert a knife. Cool. Peel the outer skin and top and slice into 1/4" rounds. (I usually do this step as soon as I bring my beets home from my CSA or grocery store. I can keep them with their peels on in the fridge for a few days and throw them into salads, etc.)

2. Melt butter in a lg skillet over medium-high heat. Add beet slices and cook until they start to turn a little brown on the edges. Add arugula and cook until wilted. Add pepitas and toss mixture around. Season with salt and pepper.Scramble egg until cooked then mix with other ingredients. Top with 2 T of feta and cook until melted.

3. Put on a serving plate and add remaining T of feta. Splash with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice to brighten flavors and serve with some crusty bread. This would also be tasty rolled up in a wrap.