12 medium-sized firm young beets ½ tsp salt
1/3 c sugar 1/3 c red wine vinegar
1½ tsp cornstarch 2 T butter, cut into ½-inch bits
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With a small, sharp knife, cut the tops from the beets, leaving about
1 inch of stem on each side. Scrub the beets under cold running water and
place them in a 4- to 5-quart saucepan. Pour in enough cold water to cover
them by 2 inches, bring to a boil over high heat and cover the pan tightly.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beets show no resistance when
pierced deeply with the point of a small skewer or knife. This may take
from 30 minutes for young beets to as long as 2 hours for older ones. The
beets should be kept constantly covered with water; add boiling water if
necessary.Drain the beets in a colander set over a bowl and reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Slip off the skins, cut the beets crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices and set them aside. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and vinegar in a 2- to 3-quart enameled or stainless-steel saucepan and stir until the mixture is smooth. Add the reserved beet liquid and, stirring constantly, cook over moderate heat until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Swirl in the butter bits and then add the beets. Turning the slices about with a spoon to coat them evenly with the sauce, simmer for 2 or 3 minutes to heat the beets through. Taste for seasoning and serve at once from a heated bowl. Serves 6 to 8.
1 or 2 medium-sized oranges crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick
1 medium-sized lemon rounds (about 6 cups)
1 T butter, softened, plus 2 T 2 T lemon juice
butter, cut into ¼-inch bits 2 T flour
12 medium-sized firm young beets, ½ c sugar
trimmed, peeled and sliced ½ tsp salt
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With a small, sharp knife or swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, remove the
skin of one orange and the lemon; be careful not to cut too deeply lest you
include the bitter white pith. Cut the orange and lemon peels into strips
about 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide and drop them into enough boiling water
to cover them completely. Boil briskly, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain in
a colander and run cold water over the strips of peel to set their color.
Set aside to drain thoroughly.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°. With a pastry brush, spread the tablespoon of softened butter over the bottom and sides of a 13-by-8½-by-2-inch baking dish. Spread the sliced beets evenly in the buttered dish and set it aside.
Squeeze the lemon and strain 2 tablespoons of juice into a small bowl, add the flour and stir until it dissolves completely. Then squeeze the orange and strain the juice into another bowl. There should be ½ cup of juice; if necessary, squeeze and strain a second orange. Add the orange juice, sugar and salt to the lemon-flour mixture and stir until the sugar dissolves. Then pour the entire contents of the bowl over the beets. Scatter the butter bits on top.
Cover the dish tightly with wax paper or foil and bake in the middle of the oven for 1½ hours, or until the beets are tender and show no resistance when pierced with the point of a small knife.
Transfer the beets and sauce to a heated bowl, sprinkle the top with the reserved strips of orange and lemon peel and serve at once. Serves 6 to 8.
