Beets on Beets

What we're eating:

Oven

• Roasted beets and garlic
• Half loaf of sourdough bread

Pan

• Beet greens

Table

• Cheese (Raw buttermilk blue, nutty cheddar, drunken goat)
• Berries (Strawberry, blueberry)

Extra Items:

• Tomato
• Knob onion
• Frozen Stock Cubes: Strain chicken stock into a large bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the layer of fat and ladle stock into ice cube trays.  Cover trays and freeze; keep frozen cubes in trays or remove to another container, using wax paper to separate layers.

Preparation

1. A Large Glass Roasting Pan with Lid.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Slice a head of garlic horizontally and keep intact; place in a sheet of aluminum foil, rub the exposed portions with olive oil and close the foil around the garlic.  Place in pan.  Wash and pat dry beets, remove tops and bottoms, rub with olive oil and place in the pan.  If onion is available, add using the beets procedure. Fill the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of water.  Place on the lid and bake for about 40 minutes.
2. Clean Greens.  Wash the beet greens and spin dry.  Remove the leaf from the stalks, gather into a bunch and cut the leaves into thick (1") strips.  Set aside.
3. Table Setting.  Wash fresh berries then remove stems and let dry.  Select and place out cheese.
4. Motion!  When the beets and garlic are almost ready (about 40 minutes in the oven), place the loaf of bread in the oven and heat up a pan with olive oil.  Sautee the beet greens in the oil on medium-high heat for a few minutes - they should wilt but remain wet - and add one frozen stock cube.  Reduce heat to low.
5. Retrieve the Beets.  Turn off the oven and remove the roasting pan and bread; cover the bread with a towel until ready to slice.  Place the beets in a bowl and remove/discard their skins.  Cut beets into halves, thirds or quarters and toss with a very small splash of red wine vinegar.
6. Serve Dinner: Beets on Beets.  Place the garlic into its own bowl and set out a discard bowl for the skins.  In a wide, flat bowl or on a plate, spoon a mound of beet greens from the pan and top with the roasted beets and onions.  Cut a tomato into eighths and throw two or three into each bowl.