Creamed Beet Greens

Mr. S had requested roasted beets to go along with his steak dinner for a Labor Day weekend celebration. I love beets, so I definitely didn't mind. 

But when we got them from the store, they came with these green leafy bits coming off the top! Strange. It was almost a bonus vegetable. Buy one, get one free!

I didn't really know what to do with them, so I chopped them off the beets and stuck them in a glass of water. They stayed fresh until the next day, when a lightening bolt of an idea struck me - cream them. 

Though, honestly, I can't remember ever creaming anything in my life before. My dear mother is from Indiana, and I think she might have encountered one too many disgusting steam tables of creamed spinach to consider making her own version. Or perhaps she looked at the recipe (butter, cream, cheese) and decided that we should save our calorie intake for sweets. 

I definitely don't blame her - nearly any dessert she makes is delicious (and laden with butter and/or cream).

But back to the greens. They are absolutely inhaleable. Even if they are a little pink. 

(Mr. S said he needed to close his eyes to eat them, cause it looked like he was eating greens covered in strawberry yogurt. Mind you - his plate was CLEAN by the end of dinner.)

Rinse the greens. Often they've got plenty of sand and dirt on them.  Chop them up roughly.

In a large saucepan, melt half a stick of butter.

Whisk in 4 tbsp of flour.

Cook for 5-8 minutes.

Add in the onions, garlic (and beet stems if you don't mind a pink sauce. It you'd rather have a white sauce, toss the stems in the trash).

Cook for another 5 minutes and whisk in the milk and cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add in the beet greens and cook for another 5-8 minutes, until greens are wilted and stems are soft enough for you.

Add in about a 1/4 c. of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serve, preferably with steak, and enjoy!

Creamed Beet Greens

 Adapted from the Pioneer Woman's Creamed Spinach

1/2 stick of butter

4 tbsp flour

1/2 - 1/4 red onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 c. milk

1/2 c. cream

salt & pepper to taste

4-5 grates of freshly ground nutmeg (or a pinch of the pre-ground stuff)

1 bunch beet greens, roughly chopped (lower stems diced and held separately, if used)
1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until the mixture is a light golden brown and you can't smell that uncooked flour smell. 

Whisk in the onion, garlic, and beet stems (if using). Cook for another 5 minutes. 

Whisk in the milk and cream. Add in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Gently mix in the beet greens, covering them in the cream sauce.  Cook for 5 more minutes. 

Serve!