When cooking with beets, it's important to remember that they bleed! I would not recommend using a wood cutting board, or your best white t-shirt. I also like to use latex gloves when handling them to keep from getting purple fingers!
Roasting (my fav!): Roasting your beets is the best way to really appreciate their sweet flavor! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Again, you can roast whole or cut up. If you are chopping them first, wash and peel the beets, then toss in enough olive oil (and your prefered seasonings) to coat your beets. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until tender. To roast them whole you do not need to peel first. Just wrap in aluminum foil and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a knife can easily poke through the beet. The skin should easily peel off at this point.
Boiling: If you are boiling whole beets, leave about an inch of the greens intact, as well as the root. This will prevent the beet from bleeding out in the water. Wash well, and scrub with a brush to get all the dirt off. Put your beets in a large pot and cover with enough water so that the beets are completely submerged. Boil for about 20-30 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the beet and come out with no resistance. You will then be able to peel off the skin! If you want to boil in pieces, peel and chop the beets and boil until tender.
Steaming: Your can steam your beets either whole or chopped. Wash well, and scrub with a brush to get the dirt off. Then cook in your steamer (or in a steaming basket above boiling water) for 45-60 minutes, or until tender.
Sauteing: Wash and scrub your beets with a brush to remove the dirt. Then peel and thinly slice, about 1/8 inch thick. Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add your sliced beets, and any seasoning and veggies you like and cook for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
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