Poitou-Style Braised Beets with Kale
Fall is just around the corner! And after fresh, juicy vegetables all Summer long, it’s that delicious time of the year to relish in all kinds of root vegetables… and today’s recipe is all about beets! In this Fall-perfect dish, beets are braised in white wine until sweet and tender, mingled with chopped kale, goat cheese and crusty bread. It is a simple, unfussy side-dish or light dinner, and it’s a wonderfully different way to enjoy beets. A dish inspired by the “Betteraves à la Poitevine” The inspiration for…
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 large beets (or 5-6 medium)½ bunch kale
- 3 tbsp (43g) butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and diced
- 2 tbsp (17g) all purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- 3 tbsp (45ml) dry white wine
- 1 tbsp (15ml) wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Bread and ripened soft goat cheese, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.
- 2
Step 1 – Prepare the vegetables. Wash, scrub and peel the beets; remove the greens and cut the beets into 1/4-inch thick slices. Wash and drain the kale; remove the ribs and coarsely chop the leaves.
- 3
Step 2 – In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, for about 4-5 minutes. Add the flour, salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg, and cook for 1 minute to make a roux (the flour will turn moist and golden in color).
- 4
Step 3 – Add the beets, white wine and vinegar and stir until the flour is fully incorporated into the liquid. Reduce the heat and sauté, flipping the beet slices occasionally until the beets become tender, about 20-25 minutes (with a lid on). If the beets become too dry while cooking, you can add another 2-3 tbsp (45ml) of white wine (or water) if necessary.
- 5
Step 4 – When the beet slices are tender enough (you can test the tenderness by inserting a pointy knife), add the chopped kale and cook for about 2-3 minutes (lid off) until the kale is wilted and has absorbed the last of the moisture in the pan. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- 6
Step 5 – Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with EVOO. Serve as a side, or enjoy with bread and slices of goat cheese.