Beet Greens with Olive Oil

Wilted beet tops with garlic, olive oil and wine vinegar in the Roman manner

Origin: Mediterranean

From the journey of Beetroot.

Before the root was the point, the leaf was. For the first two millennia of its cultivation (from the Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean through ancient Greece and into the Roman world), beet was grown primarily for its dark, mineral-rich leaves, not for its root. The root at this stage was thin, fibrous, and barely edible; it was the leaf, with its deep flavour and its versatility as both a raw salad element and a cooked green, that made the plant worth growing. Apicius, in De Re Coquinaria (c. 4th century CE), describes beet tops boiled and dressed with oil and vinegar, with cumin added for warmth: a preparation essentially identical to the way Greeks still dress horta today and to the way Italians treat coste di bietola. John Evelyn's 17th-century salad manual Acetaria recommends beet tops in salads. The recipe takes its cue from Apicius and from the broader ancient Mediterranean vegetable tradition, dressing blanched beet leaves simply with excellent olive oil, a little garlic, and a sharpening of vinegar. It is one of the oldest vegetable preparations still recognisable in any kitchen: a straight line from the Roman table to the present.

Ingredients

Greens

  • 500 g fresh beet tops (leaves and their stems, washed), or Swiss chard as a substitute

Dressing

  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp ground cumin (optional: following the Apician tradition)

Seasoning

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serving

  • good bread, to serve

Method

  1. Separate the beet stems from the leaves. Cut the stems into 4cm lengths. Keep the leaves whole or tear into large pieces.
  2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the beet stems first and cook for 3 minutes. Add the leaves and cook for a further 2 minutes until wilted but still a little firm. Drain and squeeze out excess water firmly.
  3. In a wide pan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to colour at the edges. Do not let it brown.
  4. Add the drained beet greens to the pan. Toss in the oil and garlic over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the cumin (if using) and stir to combine.
  5. Remove from heat. Add the vinegar, season generously with salt and pepper. Taste: the greens should be well seasoned, faintly sharp, and rich with olive oil.
  6. Transfer to a serving plate or shallow bowl. Drizzle with additional olive oil. Serve at room temperature with good bread.

Notes

Beet greens are sold with the beetroot at farmers' markets and specialist grocers; they are rarely found in supermarkets, where the tops are usually removed. Swiss chard (silverbeet) is the closest widely available substitute: same species, different cultivar. Baby beet leaves from salad packs can be used uncooked in place of the cooked preparation.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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