Sweet Beets
Monday, March 8th, 2010“I don’t know what it is… but I want it!”…. ahh, one of my favorite Jessica Simpson quotes…but it came to mind immediately when I found this recipe embedded in a sweet article from PA about local winter eating and the freeing nature of accepting season’s on natures’ terms.
Read the article here, or just try out the recipe below. Complete with nutritional information… this seems like a cool way to make beets into a dessert with an Indian flavor. It takes a while to make but appears to be a gorgeous and aromatic treat. A Halwa is basically a dense, sweet middle eastern dessert… some use carrots, some use grains, some use nuts… but you and me, my local seasonal eating friends, can use beets. Enjoy!
Beet Halwa
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 pound beets, scrubbed and peeled
1 quart whole milk
1 cup sugar, or more to taste
4 green cardamom seeds
1/4 cup unsalted butter or ghee
Freshly grated nutmeg
Chopped cashews, sliced almonds, or both (optional)
1. Using a grater or a food processor, grate beets.
2. Combine milk, sugar, and cardamom in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a frying pan. When foaming subsides, add beets and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beets to milk and bring to a boil again. Continue briskly simmering, stirring frequently, until milk is mostly absorbed, but beets are still moist, about 1½ hours. (Mixture will continue to thicken off heat.) Remove cardamom.
4. Garnish with nutmeg and nuts, if using. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Per serving (based on 8): 246 calories, 5 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 34 grams sugar, 10 grams fat, 28 milligrams cholesterol, 94 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.
