Beet Pancake, or Veggie Burger…You Decide!!

As we pass through the produce department of the local grocer most of us know what we are looking at. Potatoes, apples, celery, oranges we all know what they are and how they can be used. What do people do with beets? They seem to sit there, ignored by the mass population regardless of the price tag currently sitting at approximately a dollar for five pounds of the stuff. For those who do venture into the world of the lonely beet, most only look for it solely in the preserved section along with olives and other jarred goods. Let us take a brief look into this relatively undesired vegetable and what can be done with it.

Beets have a history similar to a lot of European vegetables that dates back to the time of ancient Rome and Greece where the beet tops, or greens, were the only part of the plant used for nourishment. The beetroots were originally wasted or kept for medicinal uses. As Rome expanded its’ empire so did the beet and many other roman foodstuffs. Eventually over time the beetroot obviously found its’ way from the medicine cabinet to the dinner table. The most famous of all beet recipes that you would most likely to have heard of is borscht, an eastern European beet soup made with beef and several other ingredients. (Potentially another weeks’ work)

This week we are looking beyond the history and tradition that is borscht to another, not so traditional, use for beets. Beet cakes, now this is not your red died sweet cake with some beet in it, but rather more of a potato pancake style of dish with beets in place of potato.

For this recipe you will need:
½ cup of grated beets
1 Egg
¼ cup of all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. of cooking oil

Once you have grated the ½ cup of beets add in one beaten egg and mix thoroughly. Next add in enough flour to thicken the mixture to a burger-like consistency. Ball the mixture into patties (5 to 8 depending on size). With a tbsp. of oil on medium heat pan fry for 3-5 min per side until cooked through. Serve alone, or with sour cream if desired. For those vegetarians out there, this recipe can also double as a sweet veggie burger!
This vegetable is not fast cooking, and can be messy to prepare however it is, in my opinion, worth it. Not only is it a naturally sweet vegetable but once cup of beets contains 37% of folate, 22.5% manganese, and 15.2% of daily recommended intake. For those of our readers who are trying to get kids to eat more vegetables the red stain that seems to permeate everything it comes in contact with can be seen as colourful and fun…or at least something sweet and different.

While this may not be the most “seasonal” of articles to be posted this Halloween, it is certainly healthier than the candy corn or caramel apples that are sure to be seen today. Next time you come across a beet, think twice about passing over this once thought of medicinal vegetable. Beets can be used in any number of ways; soups, salads, roasted or even pickled. This vegetable which I have been guilty of passing over previously has a way of awakening the senses a lot more than a potato or celery could ever hope. Having said that this is more than likely not the only time you will see beets being used in our recipes.