Beet Greens!

Fresh Spearfish beet greens from Gage's Gardens

Popped these beet greens on top of pasta.  Delicious!

Don't toss your beet greens!  This recipe from www.simplyrecipes.com and is so delicious (I changed it just a bit).  My beet greens came from a huge pile of greens at Gage's Gardens and most of the stems were small and totally usable in this recipe.  Make sure to ask for them.  Any woody stems and those leaves that needed to go, went into my compost pile out behind the shed in the backyard.

Beet Greens

1 lb beet greens (I used one very packed plastic grocery bag full) - you can use the stems if small
1 tbl bacon fat and one piece of crispy bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 large minced garlic clove
3/4 cup water
1 tbl sugar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/6 cup cider vinegar

1.  Wash greens in sink filled with cold water, drain and do it again.  Cut into bit sized pieces.
2.  In a large skillet, cook bacon until lightly brown with the bacon fat.  I know, this sounds weird but makes it extra good.  Add onion, cook over medium heat about 5-7 minutes, stirring a bit until onions start to brown.  Stir in garlic and add water to hot pan to loosen any brown particles from the bottom of the pan (really scrape).  Stir in sugar and red pepper. Bring mixture to boil.
3.  Add the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated.  Reduce to low, cover and simmer about 10 minutes until the greens are tender.  Stir in vinegar.

Add this mixture to pasta and wow, a full meal!