When we went to the laiki, there were so many selection of fruits and vegetables. One of my favourite salad lately(… how much I hated beets before) is boiled or steamed beet salad.
Either called Brasta Pratzaria (Boiled) or Pantzaria Salata ( Beet Salad).


Perhaps my dislike of beet rooted from the fact the first beet I tasted was pickled. When I lived with in the organic estate I have worked for in UK, the gardeners would bring selection of beet from the garden. Newly dug beet with earth still clinging on its roots.

All the staff would look forward to the delivery and I never understood their happiness, till one day out of curiosity I ate one, then two then I was hooked.
What have I missed all these years.

Here in Athens we only get the dark red beets where as in UK, the variety is amazing. Golden, the red and white striped flesh called ‘Chioggia’ and the dark red ones.

What I bought at the market was baby beets with the leaves. The “tops” make scrumptious addition to the salad.

I was chatting with a friend through the cyber space of course and she asked how I prepared my beets. She add chopped chicken and mayonnaise to her beet salad.
Here in Athens, where beets are rarely sold boiled and pre packed. Greeks just steam the roots and boil the leaves.

I removed the stalks, washed and scrubbed the beets. I rinsed the leaves many times as they were just harvested hours before the market. Boil water and added a bit of salt, a bit of vinegar (retains the colour).

I added the stalk and leaves into the boiling water and had the roots over a steamer. Cook till just soft, strain and peel the beets.
Slice and serve on the leaves with olive oil and vinegar dressing.
We ate this salad with a Filipino dish we have cooked that will be posted here soon as my entry to Lasang Pinoy, Cooking with Kids!

How you serve yours?