Buttered Beets
Then, for lack of any other books, [Tyrion] started reading them again. The slave girl’s story was the worst written but the most engrossing, and that was the one he took down this evening to see him through a supper of buttered beets, cold fish stew, and biscuits that could have been used to drive nails
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—A DANCE WITH DRAGONS
Traditional Buttered Beets
When cooked, cut them in thin slices. Put butter in a stewpan, and when melted, sprinkle in it a pinch of flour, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, then the beets; simmer twenty minutes, add a few drops of vinegar, and serve
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—WHAT TO EAT, AND HOW TO COOK IT, 1863
Serves 4
Roasting: 45 to 60 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
This simple recipe showcases the best of beet flavor and texture, with the butter and vinegar subtly complementing the beets. Using different-colored beets adds a visual vibrancy to the dish, while still maintaining its rustic character.
4 to 6 beets, preferably a mix of red and golden
Olive oil
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Pinch each of salt and ground black pepper
Balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Coat the beets lightly with oil and wrap them in aluminum foil; place them on a
baking sheet and roast them in the oven until cooked through; this should take between 45 and 60 minutes.
Let the beets cool for 10 minutes, then peel and cut them into ¼-inch-thick slices.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the sliced beets, and stir to coat with the butter. Sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, sprinkle with a little balsamic vinegar, and serve.
Cook’s Note:
Wrapping red and golden beets together in the same foil package produces a beautiful tie-dyed effect in the golden beets, giving them a remarkable sunset coloring.
Modern Beet Pancakes
Makes 4 pancakes
Prep: 1 hour
Cooking: 15 minutes
Pairs well with poached eggs, toast with jam, black tea
Beets make a fantastic alternative to traditional potato pancakes or hash browns. They turn sweet and tender when fried, and pair spectacularly with the creaminess of a poached egg.
2 whole beets, peeled and grated
1 shallot, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
In a large bowl, mix the beets, shallot, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a colander and allow it to drain for 1 hour. Heat the oil and butter in a pan, then add the beet mixture in four pancakes. Flatten with a spatula to a thickness of about ½ inch, and allow the beets to cook for 5 minutes. Flip pancakes over and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Once browned on both sides, remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Turnips in Butter
The lord’s seat at the head of the table had been left empty, but Robb sat to the right of it, with Bran across from him. They ate suckling pig that night, and pigeon pie, and turnips soaking in butter, and afterward the cook had promised honeycombs.”
—A GAME OF THRONES
Medieval Armored Turnips
Rapam uel elixam uel sub cinere coctam in tessellas concides. Idem etiam facies de caseo subrecenti & pingui. Subtiliores tamen hae sint, quem quae ex rapis. In patellam butyro aut liquamine unctam. Primum tabulatum ex caseo facies secundum ex rapis, & sic deinceps, aromatum aliquid aut butyri continuo insundendo cito hoc pulmentum coquitur, cito etiam edendum est
.
—PLATINA, 1517
Serves 3 to 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Baking: 15 minutes
Turnips have sadly been pushed aside over time by their more modern cousin, the potato. However, this medieval recipe is rich and flavorful, and the turnips act as a delightful canvas for the cheese and spices. A historically accurate version of potato au gratin, the garnished turnips are lovely on any medieval table.
5 or 6 small turnips
1½ cups (6 ounces) mozzarella or provolone
½ cup (4 ounces)
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted Parmesan butter, melted, plus additional soft butter for the dish
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Peel the turnips, then boil them until tender, about 20 minutes, and allow them to cool. Meanwhile, grate or slice the mozzarella or provolone very thinly, and grate the Parmesan. Slice the cooled turnips about ⅛-inch thick.
