This Simple Hack Makes It So Much Easier to Cook with Beets
You’ll be able to peel and chop this red root veggie — worry free.
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The beet salad fiasco is one I don’t speak of often. Don’t get me wrong, I love beets but cooking them yourself is a whole different story. I found a recipe online that I wanted to make and, at first, things were going smoothy. I washed the arugula leaves and left them out to dry. I chopped up a handful of walnuts and mixed the creamy vinaigrette dressing. Then it was time for the beets — and that’s when things took a turn. When I started peeling the beets, I noticed that my hands were turning a dark shade of pink. The natural dyes from the root had covered my fingers — and it only got worse when I proceeded to slice the beets. My beautiful white countertops were sprayed with beet juice and my wooden cutting board was (and forever will be) stained. I’m pretty sure my hands and fingertips were pink for days after.
This disastrous cooking mishap made me vow to never cook with beets again — until I saw Alejandra Ramos’s Pink Beet Risotto with Crispy Goat Cheese Medallions class on the Food Network Kitchen app.
I knew that I wanted to find a new, delicious recipe to cook up for Valentine’s Day this year, especially since I wasn’t planning to make reservations to dine out. When I stumbled on this cute risotto, I knew that I had found the perfect date night-worthy meal for the holiday. Not only is it a great dish to cook together but it fits the Valentine’s Day theme with its pretty pink color. You can even shape the goat cheese into little hearts, too!
I did notice the main ingredient, though. Alejandra calls out “the star of the show”: beets. “I love using beets to add color in dishes,” she says. Lucky for me, she also has a simple trick for making sure you don’t stain your hands pink. After you’re done preparing your beet, cut a potato in half and rub it in your hands under water. It washes away all the color.
She also mentions that whenever she cooks with beets, she makes sure to work on dark surfaces and use a dark color cutting board.
Beets can be messy but that shouldn’t prevent me from using them when I cook, especially since a simple cut potato makes cleanup a breeze!
Want even more Valentine’s Day tips and ideas? You can find them on the Food Network Kitchen app along with more classes and recipes from all your favorite chefs.
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