French "Peasant" Beets

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A&M say: In our next life, we'd like to be French peasants, or at least, eat like them. We have a soft spot for beet recipes that utilize both the sweet root and minerally tops. Here, Amy_N-B has you caramelize slices of yellow and red beets (we used 4 large beets total; might do 3 next time) and then add a mix of beet tops and Swiss chard, cooking them just enough to wilt. You'll love the dish at this point, but you'll be riveted if you serve it with oozy boucheron and good country bread.

Amy_N-B says: Between our CSA and garden, we found ourselves up to our eyeballs in beets a few summers ago. I concocted this dish as an homage to a simple French peasant dinner. When I explained the concept to my husband, he riduculed me, "What peasants eat boucheron and drink Muscadet with their beets?" "Um, French ones?" - Amy_N-B

Serves 2 for dinner, 4 as a side

  • 4-6 Beets with greens (I like a mixture of golden and red beets)
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 shallot
  • Salt
  • Freshly Ground Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons white wine (Muscadet is my preference)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • .5 pounds Bucheron Cheese (room temperature)
  • Crusty peasant style bread (warmed in oven
  1. Scrub and peel the beets. Remove the greens and chop coarsely. Set the greens aside in a large prep bowl. Slice beets into 1/4 inch rounds.
  2. Remove the ribs from the swiss chard and coarsely chop and toss into bowl with the beet greens,
  3. In a large sautee pan, melt butter. Sautee shallots.
  4. Add beet rounds to the shallot butter mixture. Crack some pepper over the beets and a toss on a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and sautee beets, turning over to ensure even cooking.
  5. About 15 minutes later when beets are begnning to glaze and become tender, add greens and chard. Sautee for about 5 minutes, then add wine and cover. Cook until greens are wilted, adding water if necessary. Allow liquid to be mostly absorbed into greens, adjust seasonings.
  6. Scoop greens and beets into a low shallow bowl. Garnish with a sizeable wedge of bucheron and some crusty bread. Crack a little bit of pepper over the entire dish.

Tags: rustic, Vegetarian

Comments (52) Questions (1)

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about 1 month ago constanterratic

Excellent dish! I used feta and red wine instead (it was what I had on hand) and the beets and greens tasted amazing. I love this recipe!

Stringio

3 months ago ironhag

I followed this recipe exactly, even found some locally produced boucheron-style cheese and it was fabulous. I will make this again and again, next time I'll share it with my husband!

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3 months ago garytoo

Tried this recipe, the wife and I loved it. The cheese we had was smoked gouda, the bread was ciabatta. It accompanied chicken with roasted carrots, and a glass wine. Will definently make again. The dish looked just as the recipe showed.

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9 months ago oregon cassie

Finally made this tonight (had saved it a while ago) -- it was so very good! No bucheron to be found in our town but I'm addicted to a French triple creme available at Costco (Le Delice de Bourgogne) & the dish was perfection. I made the mistake of using it as a side for grilled steak & roasted green beans but next time will make it the entree!

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over 1 year ago foodieinthemaking

Seriously amazing! I've tried this recipe several times now and have had nothing but amazing results each time. It's great for company but also easy enough to do on a weekday.

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over 1 year ago elisa

I made this dish last night for a few friends, and we all could not stop commenting on how wonderful the dish was. It was superb, I can't wait to make it again! In addition to golden beets and regular red beets, I also used candy striped beets (aka "Chioggia" beets). And I had no Bucheron so I used a semi-firm goat cheese. These substitutions worked out fantastically.
Amy_N-B, thank you for sharing this recipe with us all!

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over 1 year ago isac

made it tonight. it was so good!! pure sweetness. i used fresh goat cheese and it worked really well.
will make it again. next time i will look for bucheron...

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over 1 year ago DaniMama

Super YUM!!! Thanks for the recipe!

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over 1 year ago Tom Wade

Not a beet fan. But will try. tom wade

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over 1 year ago Fran McGinty

Made these the other night and they lived up to all these beautiful comments. They were great !

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over 1 year ago flossy

pure heaven.

Port2

over 1 year ago nogaga

Made this, LOVED it :)

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over 1 year ago LLStone

I also made this and my husband and I loved it. Because of your strong suggestion on the Boucheron; I bought some and it was superb. I had some leftover beets that I added to a smoked salmon nicoise and it was very good w/ that as well. Great recipe!

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over 1 year ago HereFishyFishy

After making this the other night, I would love to say that I was speechless but rather than that, I actually could not shut up about it. Normally one to sit back modestly and accept any compliments (as if I was smart enough to create this dish), after 1 bite I said to my wife that I may have just found my "last meal." Thank you for a wonderful, perfect recipe that I will make for a lifetime!

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over 1 year ago CDH

I love beets with goat cheese and recently made this recipe. Also wanted to offer a suggestion related to the previously mentioned honeyed goat cheese. An appetizer that friends love is goat cheese with honey generously drizzled on top. Chop fresh mint leaves and top off the cheese and honey.

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over 1 year ago zest in the midwest

I made this for dinner a few weeks ago. It was divine. Instead of Boucheron, we used Trader Joe's honeyed goat cheese (surprisingly good....you can barely taste the honey but it does something magical to the cheese). I love this recipe!

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almost 2 years ago KenXiexie

This recipe is great! I had manchego instead of bucheron.simply amazing!

Khat

almost 2 years ago artfulgourmet

these look amazing. any vegetable caramelized with shallots and butter is a WINNER!!

Leslie_in_avalon_july_09

almost 2 years ago Leslie_

I love beets, and this recipe is truly a winner! My daughter prepared it this weekend and (since I had no Bucheron in the fridge) served it with Monterey goat cheese from Rawson Brook Farm (in Monterey, MA). She also made farro with roasted shitake mushrooms and parmesan. Both were excellent accompaniments to NY strip steaks cooked quickly in a cast iron pan. Thank you, food52, for all the wonderful recipes!

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about 2 years ago romanolikethecheese

Droplets of good balsamic vinegar on top set this dish up from good to really good!!