Beets, Glorious Beets
Green Plum Cooking School – June 5th, 2010
For my entire career, I’ve been dealing with people’s intense feelings about beets. If you read this blog with any regularity, you’ve heard me go on about this.
My customers either really like beets or really, really, really hate beets. I now refer to these feelings in Dr. Phil-speak: I call them “Family of Origin Beet Issues.” Or FOBI(AS). FOBIAS usually start after someone’s mother or grandmother forced them to eat a canned beet. Then there are those who wrinkle their noses just thinking about having to cook them and getting “dirty.”
I see it as my job to continue to push your FOBIA buttons, like I continue to push everything (just ask my mother). So, today, we’re doing Beets – Three Ways. As the class starts, I – and the audience – realize at the same time that I may have pushed it too far! I tell them, “Don’t worry, once I plate these beets, you’ll see how my mind works.” Funny, but this is the last full sentence I utter for the rest of the class.
The first recipe I make starts with a pesto. But not a regular old pesto – this one calls for bread soaked in vinegar in place of cheese. We are using marjoram as the main herb in the pesto. Marjoram is in the mint family and tastes like oregano.
Marjoram Pesto
monicaSPEAK 