You probably know that many people turn to food when they’re feeling stressed. What you may not know is that science has proven some foods are actually excellent stress-reducers. The trick is to pick the right foods. Sure, high sugar treats may make you feel better for an hour or so, but then your blood sugar will crash and you’ll feel more fatigued and stressed than before. Instead, choose healthy foods that not only nourish your body, but relax your muscles and nerves.

Nuts

Selenium deficiencies are scientifically linked to stress. Nuts of all kinds are high in selenium, making them a perfect de-stresser. Just a handful of nuts a day will help you keep stress at bay. Or try one of these great Gourmandia nut recipes on video.

Basil & Spinach

Magnesium is proven to relax muscles and nerves, preventing muscle tension, fatigue, and over-excitement. Basil and spinach are both great sources of magnesium; basil also contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, making it a terrific choice not only for flavoring meals but for keeping you feeling less stressed. For best results, add a handful of fresh basil leaves toward the end of the cooking process, or eat one cup of fresh or a half a cup of cooked spinach each day. Be sure to also check out these basil recipes on video.

Chocolate, Chicken, Eggs, and Milk

Chocolate, chicken, eggs, and milk are proven de-stressers. Each is full of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that’s used to create serotonin in body – a chemical that’s well known to cause relaxation and feelings of pleasure. If you choose chocolate, however, stick with dark chocolate, since it’s lower in sugar. Check out Gourmandia’s chocolate, chicken, and egg recipes on video.

Beans & Rice

Rice and beans are both complex carbohydrates, which are known to increase the body’s absorption of tryptophan - which your body turns into serotonin, a mood enhancer. It’s important, however, to steer clear of white rice, which may spike your blood sugar, leading to a low feeling hours after eating. See Gourmandia’s bean and rice recipes on video.

You’re longing for a great meal. Work is almost over, but you know there’s no food at home. Do you: 1) Spend a wad at a decent restaurant, 2) Spend the bit of cash in your pocket on fast food, 3) Find a recipe on your iPhone then make a quick trip to the store before heading home? Now that Gourmandia has an iPod application, choice #3, of course!

For a tiny amount ($2.99, or free if you use the “lite” version), you can load Gourmandia’s Recipe TV onto your iPhone and have access to videos of Michelin star-rated chefs cooking gourmet meals to not only nourish your body, but make meal time a real pleasure. Forget television cooking shows. With Recipe TV, you can bring the ingredients list with you in your pocket – no writing down recipes as you watch or having to search the Internet for a print version of what you’ve just watched.

With the new app, you can browse recipes by categories (like “appetizers,” “chicken recipes,” or “desserts”), or by chef (including Georges Blanc, Jean Michel Lorain, and Marc Meneau), then read recipes and ingredient lists. You can even “favorite” recipes you want to try, so you can find them more easily later, when you’re in the kitchen.

Easy and delicious!

Although salt has taken a bad rap in recent years, everyone needs between 1,500 and 2,300 mg a day to stay healthy. Too, properly used, salt imparts terrific flavor in your cooking. The trick is to know which salt to use when. Rest assured, no salt type is truly healthier than any other (although it could be argued that un-iodized table salt is the least healthful). Choosing salt is really all about flavor.

Kosher Salt

This coarse salt is evaporated from a brine, usually – but not always – under conditions approved by Orthodox rabbis. (Be sure to read the label carefully if you are concerned about eating kosher.) Kosher salt has no added iodine or other additives and is considered appropriate for any kind of cooking because it dissolves quickly, spreading its flavor well throughout the dish.

Kosher salt is widely available in grocery stores.

Table Salt

This is the sort of salt most often seen on tabletops – hence its name. Table salt is refined to remove all traces of other minerals, and anti-clumping agents like sodium silicoaluminate, magnesium carbonate, or calcium phosphate are often added. Table salt is often preferred in baking because it has a finer grain.

Look for table salt in any grocery store.

Iodized Salt

This is a type of table salt. When table salt is processed, it looses most of its naturally occurring iodine; if a salt is marked “iodized” this means iodine has been added back in.

Iodized salt is widely available in grocery stores.

Sea Salt

Fine or coarse, sea salt is created from evaporated sea water. Tasting lighter and fresher than table salt, sea salt often has naturally occurring trace minerals like potassium and magnesium. In general sea salts are added to food after cooking. Use small quantities, since they can impart bold flavor, depending upon where they were harvested.

Look for sea salt in grocery stores or gourmet shops.

Coarse Salt

Also called “Gos Sel” or “Gale Grosso” this salt has larger grains and is usually ground before use. It’s primarily used in soups or for salt crusts on meat.

Some types of coarse salt may be found in grocery stores – others only in gourmet shops.

Crystalline Sea Salt

Fine or coarse, crystalline sea salt is ideal for adding to already cooked foods, fresh off the stove. Some crystalline sea salts are sweeter, more bitter, or more brine-like than others, depending upon the naturally occurring minerals also found in the area where the salt was harvested.

Look for crystalline sea salt in gourmet shops.

Flaked Sea Salt

This soft salt dissolves faster than any other and adds unique brine-like flavor to shellfish and steamed vegetables. When cooking, crush the salt crystals between your fingers before sprinkling onto the food.

Flaked salt is mostly available in gourmet shops.

Fleur de Sel

Also called “Flower of Salt” or “Flor De Sal,” this salt is best used after the food is cooked; keep it on the table for special occasions. Because this salt is rather bulky, it melts slowly in the mouth and offers a somewhat earthy flavor.

Look for Fleur de Sel in gourmet stores.

 
Celtic Salt

This expensive salt (also called “gray salt,” “grey salt,” or “Sel Gris”) is harvested through traditional methods of solar evaporation in the Celtic Sea marshes in France. With its mellow, mildly sweet flavor, it is best used after foods are cooked.

Celtic salt is available from specialty gourmet shops.

A few other popular gourmet salts:

Black Salt (also called “Kala Namak” or “Sanchal”) has a strong sulfur odor; it’s primarily used in Indian cooking. Hawaiian sea salt is a pink salt with high iron oxide content; it’s used in many traditional Hawaiian foods. Italian Sea Salt (also called “Sicilian Sea Salt” or “Sale Marino”) is harvested in the Mediterranean ocean by traditional methods; it’s an excellent choice for sauces and salads. Smoked Sea Salt is literally sea salt that’s been smoked over wood fires; it has a distinctive smoky scent and flavor that’s useful for some soups, pasta dishes, and for grilling.  

February 2^nd is Candlemas – a holiday not everyone celebrates these days, but which is a great excuse for great food. During the 19^th century, Candlemas was the to take a household inventory of how many candles needed to be purchased to get the family through winter. And for centuries before, Candlemas was also the day of lights; Christians celebrate it as the day Mary and Joseph visited the temple with baby Jesus, to present him to God and proclaimed him “the light of the world.”Today, in addition to lighting lots of candles (at dinner, if not throughout the rest of the day), foodies can celebrate Candlemas with pancakes. How did pancakes become associated with the holiday? Presumably because they are round, like our main source of light: the sun.

Traditionally, Candlemas pancakes are made with whole wheat flour from fall’s harvest, but any type of pancake is perfect for a modern day Candlemas. You could even try your hand at what might be called French pancakes: crepes.

Try these tips for perfect Candlemas pancakes:

Don’t use cake or bread flour for pancakes. Instead, choose all-purpose white flour, or half all-purpose white flour and half buckwheat, cornmeal, or whole wheat flour.

Instead of stirring or whisking out all the bumps of the pancake batter, leave a few in. They make the pancakes fluffier.

For especially light pancakes, separate the eggs. Beat in the egg yolk when you’d normally add a whole egg. When all other ingredients have been beaten in, add the egg white.

Allow your batter to rest for about 10 minutes.

For easier pancakes, use a griddle with a temperature control. Set it for 375 F and preheat. Then turn it down to 360 before actually cooking the pancakes. If you don’t have a griddle, try using a cast iron pan.

To make even the first pancake perfectly browned, wipe off any excess butter from the griddle before adding batter to it.

If you want to add berries or nuts to pancakes, first whip up a batter, pour it on the griddle, then sprinkle the berries or nuts over the batter right away.

You’ll know it’s time to flip the pancakes when the bubbles on an un-cooked side begin bursting.

Although oysters were once the food of the poor, today you’re more likely to find oysters at the world’s great restaurants. Considered an aphrodisiac since ancient times, oysters add a touch of romance and class to any table. Oysters are easy to cook, too – not to mention healthy. Oysters are much lower in calories, cholesterol, and fat than poultry.Buying Fresh Oysters

Oysters vary in taste according to where they are harvested (because whatever nutrients and minerals are in the mud and water around the shellfish change the flavor of the oyster’s flesh). However, there are some good general guidelines for buying fresh oyster. For example, the shellfish should always be wet, with a sweet and mild scent. If the oyster shell remains closed even after you tap it with your finger, if open shells don’t snap shut when you tap them, or if the oysters have a strong smell, they aren’t fit for eating.

The deeper the oyster’s shell, the more meat you’ll be buying, and the smaller the oyster, the more tender and flavorful the meat will be.

Storing and Preparing Oysters

Bring fresh oysters home as soon as possible and lay them flat on a baking tray. Cover them with a damp towel and store the tray in the refrigerator. The oysters will keep for up to two days this way, but it’s better to cook them the same day you purchase them.

To “shuck” the oyster (or remove it from its shell), first wash it with a stiff brush under cold running tap water. Next, place the oyster on the countertop and hold it so the thin end is pointing toward you and the deepest part of the shell is on the counter.

With your dominant hand, use an oyster knife to pry between the shells at the thin end. Move the blade from side to side to cut the muscle that attaches the oyster to its shell. With a sharp twist, remove the shell, then repeat on the other end of the muscle. Remove the oyster with a fork. You may wish to wear heavy gloves when shucking oysters, to prevent cutting yourself.

Alternatively, you can microwave the oyster for about 20 seconds, which kills the shellfish and makes its shell easy to open. Other methods for making the shell easier to pry open include freezing the oyster in its shell for about 20 minutes, then letting it come to room temperature, or steaming the oysters for about 10 seconds.

Cooking Oysters

Oyster aficionados often claim oyster is best eaten simply, with a little lemon juice or horseradish on the side. You can make a tasteful oyster sauce by mixing a half cup each of tarragon vinegar and red-wine vinegar, plus a tablespoon of minced shallots and a few pinches of pepper.

Or, try one of Gourmandia’s oyster recipes on video. 

Just remember not to overcook oysters, or they’ll turn rubbery. When the edges of the meat start curling, they are done.

Butter is a vital ingredient in many foods, but are you using the right butter for the right dish? Check out a Gourmandia search for butter recipes on video. If you use the wrong type of butter, will your dish be ruined?Even at run-of-the-mill, chain grocery stores you’ll usually find a good selection of butters. Here’s what you need to know to choose the best butter for whatever it is you’re cooking.

Sweet cream butter (also called uncultured butter or unsalted butter) is made from fresh pasteurized cream. The name “sweet cream butter” was originally just a way to distinguish this type of butter from the old fashioned type of butter, which was made with soured cream. Sweet cream butter is now the standard butter of the United States, and should be white with a tinge of yellow. It has a neutral flavor that’s ideal for baking. It also works well for most cooking applications.

Salted butter was once a safety issue. Before the days when everyone kept their butter refrigerated, butter was added to slow the rate of spoilage. As a general rule, avoid salted butter so you can control how much salt your dishes contain. Never used salted butter for sautéing, since it scorches easily.

Cultured butter (sometimes called “Danish butter”) is made from cream that’s partially fermented (i.e., partially turned into lactic acid). Bacteria are added to the cream (because most creams are pasteurized, and therefore all the naturally occurring bacteria are killed). Cultured butter has a sharper, tangier taste than sweet cream butter and is widely used in Europe for cooking and baking.

European-style butter has higher contents of fat and less moisture than sweet-cream butter, making it ideal for sauces and pastry making.

Whipped butter has nitrogen gas whipped into it, which enables it to remain soft and spreadable, even when cold. It isn’t a good choice for cooking or baking, and is best used as a condiment.

Fermented butter (sometimes called “preserved butter”) is made from cream that’s been allowed to age for weeks or years. These butters are strong, pungent, and typically used as a condiment.

Raw cream butter isn’t often seen in U.S. grocery stores, but is considered a delicacy. It’s made from unpasteurized cream, typically from small dairies. Tasting more of cream than fat, it is a great choice for cooking and baking but only has a 10 day shelf life.

Clarified butter (also called “drawn butter” or “Ghee”) is butter that’s heated so its milk solids separate from its watery content. It has a high smoking point and is frequently used for sautéing and frying. Learn how to make clarified butter here.

Eel is a dish sure to please seafood lovers. With it’s sweet, firm meat, eel is widely considered a delectable dish well worth learning to cook at home. It’s not difficult to prepare, and can be used in place of mackerel in many recipes. Be sure to check out Gourmandia’s eel recipes on video, too.

How to Buy Eel

Eel is usually eaten while quite young – often only a few weeks old; in the marketplace, young eels are sometimes called “elvers.” Older eels tend to be tough and fatty, but may still be useful in stews.

Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to find fresh eel in the United States. Nonetheless, between December and February you are more likely to see them, especially in larger cities - where Italian and Asian markets may be your best source. Otherwise, eel can be purchased online.

Preparation

Eels are slippery, which makes handling them tricky. If you need to kill a fresh eel, purchase it the day you want to cook it, then kill it as soon as you get it home. Try holding a kitchen or paper towel in the hand you use to hold the eel; hold it just behind the head, then chop its head off.

Remove the eel’s skin by making a small cut just behind its head with a paring knife. Hold a paper or kitchen towel in one hand, then (with the towel still in your hand), pull down the skin. Alternatively, you could use pliers to hold the eel firmly. Use the paring knife to remove as much fat as possible from the meat.

Cooking Eel
Eel is excellent fried or sautéed. A popular method of cooking is to cut the eel into small sections, remove the bone, and dredge it in flour. When frying, try adding fresh rosemary to the oil.

Eel may also be barbequed; try skewering it, for ease of cooking.

Large eels may be braised or stewed. When stewing, add some white wine, onion, carrot, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, a few peppercorns, and a little salt. 

Pickled eel can be made by cutting up three pounds of eel and covering it with salt. Allow it to sit for about three hours, then rinse well. Boil a cup of vinegar, a cup of water, an onion slice, two bay leaves, some allspice, and a slice of lemon for about 15 minutes. Add half the eel slices and simmer until tender. Remove, and cook the second half of the eel. Store the eels in the refrigerator with the cooled vinegar mixture over them.

Bacon is one of those American staples that’s a lot more tricky to prepare than the average cook suspects. Bacon shouldn’t be black and crumbly, nor should it be limp and fatty. If you have trouble cooking bacon to perfection, here are some tips to make any slice of bacon truly delicious.

When purchasing bacon, look for slices with slightly more meat than fat. If you like your bacon quite crispy, choose thin slices of bacon.

If you have trouble removing bacon from the package, set it out about a half hour before you plan to cook it. The pieces should separate easily, without shredding or tearing.

Place the bacon in your frying pan while it is still cool.

Cook bacon at a low temperature. It can’t be rushed!

Turn the bacon frequently, using tongs, not a fork or spatula.

Remove the bacon from the frying pan a little before it’s done. It will continue cooking while it sits on a plate.

How do you know the bacon is done? If the fat on the bacon is translucent, it needs to cook longer. When the fat starts creating small, foamy bubbles, the bacon is almost done. The bacon shouldn’t be stiff; stiffness comes after sitting on a plate.

If you place the bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel, any remaining fat will get soaked up by the towel.

A more fool proof way to prepare bacon is to bake it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and place a rack on top of a baking sheet. Place slices of bacon on the rack and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. The bacon will be crispy, and nice and flat. Alternatively, you can bake the bacon in the middle of the oven on a baking sheet lined with foil.

If you like the taste of maple on your bacon, but didn’t buy bacon with that flavor, simply drizzle some maple syrup over the bacon about three minutes prior to removing it from the oven.

You can also grill bacon. Just heat the grill to a medium-low temperature, place the bacon on the grill, and leave the grill lid off. Turn the bacon frequently, just as you’d do if you were frying it. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes for the bacon to thoroughly cook.

Don’t throw away the fat! Bacon fat is superb for cooking and adds great flavor to almost any main dish. Allow the bacon to cool to room temperature, then pour it into a glass bowl or jar. Cover. Refrigerate for a few days, or freeze for future use.

If you want a similar taste to bacon, without all the fat, consider using lean smoked ham, instead.

Be sure to check out Gourmandia’s bacon recipes on video.

Just as a store bought tomato can’t compare to a garden fresh tomato, so store bought stock can’t compare to home made stock. The good news is, stock is easy to make, uses up leftover food, and can be frozen for about four months. (You may also can stock using a pressure canner.)

How to Make Chicken Stock

Take the carcass (bones and scraps of meat) of a four or five pound whole chicken or turkey and either fresh vegetables or left over ones. Feel free to experiment with the vegetables, but aim for about one large onion, three chopped carrots, four stalks of celery cut into chunks, one tablespoon of whole black peppercorns, and between six and eight chopped garlic cloves.

Place all the ingredients in a large pot, cover with water, and simmer for about two hours, skimming off the foam periodically. Add water, if necessary, to keep the ingredients covered. Strain the broth to separate the solids from the liquid and refrigerate for two or three hours. The fat will rise to the top of the pot; scoop it away. Use the stock within a few days, or freeze or can.

How to Make Beef Stock

The process for making beef stalk is basically the same as the one for making chicken stock. However, as with all stocks, if you want the stock darker and richer, roast the meat, bones, and vegetables in the oven for about 45 minutes at 450 degrees F. before you do anything else.

Place about five to seven pounds of meat and bones in a large pot. (Beef, lamb, pork, ham, veal, or venison all work.) Add approximately two large chopped onions, four large carrots cut into chunks, four stalks of celery cut into chunks, one chopped up head of garlic, two large tomatoes cut into chunks, one tablespoon of whole black peppercorns, four dry bay leaves, ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, and any seasonings you desire (oregano, thyme, and basil are good choices). Add enough water to cover everything.

Simmer for around four hours, stirring occasionally. Add water, if necessary, to keep the ingredients covered. Strain and refrigerate for about two or three hours. Skim off the fat and use within a week, freeze, or can.

How to Make Vegetable Stock

You may use nearly any vegetables you like - but avoid broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, which have too strong a flavor for a useful stock. Tomatoes (which are often confused as a vegetable, but are actually a fruit) also should not be used except in small quantities. Fresh vegetables work well, but peelings and left overs are useful, too.

Good choices for vegetable stock include garlic, onions, green onions, potatoes (including sweet potatoes), carrots, celery, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, corn (and corn cobs), peas, green beans, beets, plus herbs like parsley and basil. Also add about a tablespoon of whole black peppercorns and a couple of dry bay leaves.

Make your pot half full of vegetables and half full of water. Simmer for around an hour and strain. Use within a week, or freeze or can.

How to Make Fish Stock

Like all other stocks, scraps work just fine. The seafood used needn’t be expensive and may be in the form of fish, shrimp, crab, or lobster and shells. Use about four or five pounds of seafood, two tablespoons of butter, two large chopped onions, four chopped garlic cloves, one chopped stalk of celery,  ½ cup of chopped flat-leafed parsley, one tablespoon of lemon juice (fresh is best), and one teaspoon of whole black peppercorns. You might also add a cup of dry white wine.

Melt the butter in the bottom of a large pot. Sauté the garlic, onion, and celery until soft. Place all the remaining ingredients in the pot and add about a gallon of water. Simmer for around an hour, skimming off any foam periodically. Strain, and either use within a week, or freeze or can the stock.As with all the stocks here, you can use either whole vegetables, or scraps, as we did when making vegetable stock. Just use an approximate equivalent amount of scraps instead of the whole vegetables.

So, here is a basic recipe for meat stock.

• 5 to 7 pounds of lean meat and bones (if your pile is more meat than bones, use 5 pounds, if more bones than meat, increase the amount) - this can include beef, veal, lamb, pork, ham (will have a distinct smoky flavor), or venison
• 2 large chopped onions
• 4 large chopped carrots
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 large chopped tomatoes
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• seasonings (about a tablespoon of each that you desire: oregano, basil, thyme) water to cover (about a gallon and a half)

Add your ingredients to your stock pot and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 4 hours. Add more water if necessary to keep the ingredients covered. Strain out the solid ingredients and refrigerate stock for a few hours. The fat layer can easily be skimmed off the chilled stock, making it ready for use or the freezer.

Seafood Stock
Seafood stock comes in handy for many recipes. You can use any inexpensive white fish scraps, bones and trimmings (your seafood market or grocery store probably sells fish packaged for just this purpose). You can also use crab, shrimp and lobster shells for adding flavor to seafood stocks.

• 4 to 5 pounds mild white fish (such as cod or halibut) bones and trimmings, and/or shellfish shells
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large onions chopped
• 4 or 5 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 stalk celery
• a tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 cup dry white wine (optional)
• approximately 1 gallon of water

Melt butter in bottom of stock pot and sauté onion, garlic and celery for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about an hour. Periodically skim off foam that will appear at the top of pot. Cool and strain out solid ingredients. Your stock is now ready for use or for the freezer.

Although exotic produce from warmer climes can add fun and interest to winter meals, there is something comforting and natural about clinging to winter produce during the cold, grey days at this time of year. The fresh produce you’ll find locally is almost all root crops: Carrots, parsnips, beets, rutabagas, and turnips, being some of the most commonly found.

Carrots

Carrots come in many varieties, from fat vegetables no longer than a child’s finger to carrots that are 12 inches long (and longer) with the classic tapered look. Although most are orange, carrots also come in golden colors, white, red, and purple. Orange carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, and all carrots are a good source of vitamins K and C.

When shopping, look for crisp carrots; if they are limp, they’ve lost much of their flavor Also avoid cracked or dry-looking carrots or carrots with their tops removed that have darkly colored stem butts. If the greens are attached, they should be bright green, feathery, and not overly limp.

Carrots can be used in innumberable ways, but it’s usually best to leave their skins on. Scrub them up well and then grate them into salads or baked goods, chop into salads, stews, and soups, or blanche or roast them as a stand alone dish. Don’t throw away carrot greens, either. They make great additions to salads, soups, and stews.

Parsnips

Parsnips are an under-rated vegetable. Those who do not care much for carrots, turnips, and other common root vegetables are often pleasantly surprised to find they love the delicate flavor of parsnips. This delectable veggie is a great source of fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and – especially – potassium.

Select parsnips that aren’t too large, as size indicates age and old parsnips are usually tough. Parsnips greens should look feathery and not dried out.

Parsnips make a great addition to stews and soups, and are excellent roasted. Try layering slices of parsnips beneath chicken breasts or a whole bird before roasting. Or serve them mashed, in lieu of mashed potatoes. Many cooks remove the skins, but in doing so they remove many excellent nutrients. Save young, small parsnips for eating raw like a carrot.

Turnips

Many people think they dislike turnips, but this is often because they’ve tried large, old turnips (which have a bitter flavor) or they’ve only eaten them raw. For most palates, cooked turnips are better-tasting. Turnips are good for you, too, containing plenty of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Choose turnips about the size of a tennis ball, for best flavor. The greens should be bright and feathery, and there should be no cracks anywhere on the vegetable.

Usually the skins – which can be rather tough – are removed before cooking. Try boiling and mashing them, much like you would potatoes. Some people like to add a little sugar, too. Sliced turnips make a good addition to a roasted vegetable mix, stews, or soups. And don’t forget to save turnip greens for adding to your favorite dishes, too. If you want to eat them raw, choose young, small turnips.

Be sure to also check out Gourmandia’s turnip recipes on video.

Beets

Many Americans aren’t familiar with well-prepared beets. If you’ve ever eaten canned beets, know that cooked beets taste entirely different. Beets add a slightly sweet, unique flavor to many dishes, and are well worth exploring if you’ve never cooked with them before. Beets are also an excellent source of folate and magnese.

Medium-sized beets usually have the best flavor. While shopping, look for beets that have crisp, fresh-looking green tops.

Sliced beets make an excellent addition to soups and strew, or roast or boil them as a side dish. Some chefs prefer to remove the skin of beets, but it’s best to do this after cooking, if you wish to maintain the lovely color of the vegetable. Like carrot greens, beet greens are great in salads, or steam or sauté them, or add them to soups and stews.

Check out Gourmandia’s beet recipes on video.