Comments on: Beet Budino No-No

By: jason

jason — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:40:52 +0000

Just stumbled upon your site & this “regret.” I actually added the beet juice from Rick’s Picks “Phat Beets” in a flan recipe this past Valentine’s Day. I used about 5 tablespoons to make about 10 ramekins of flan. My intention with the beet juice was just to add color (like yours has) and a bit of savoriness to the recipe (the “Phat Beets” has a lot of ginger & rosemary). I think the result was just on the good side of a disaster. It was tasty & filling. Perhaps a teaspoon more of the beets and it would have been awful. Thanks for your blog!

By: elle

elle — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:30:51 +0000

Haha. This reminds me of the time I tried to use bananas in a savory dish. Couldn’t finish the bunch quick enough and thought I’d try cooking with it since I don’t like overly ripened bananas. Used them in a cassarole and boy was it fugly. Still, it was edible enough for a hungry college student to quietly swallow. I think I ate a good third. These days, I just wrap ‘em up and pop in the oven for a safer sweet treat.

By: cathy

cathy — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:34:30 +0000

Hi Susan: Hm, I’m from New Jersey… I kind of spewed out the term “tin foil” without thinking about it, so maybe it is a regional thing. Huh.

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:40:01 +0000

“tin” foil? Are you from Pittsburgh?

By: Tracy

Tracy — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:13:11 +0000

I love that upside down photo. The color is certainly nice though.

By: cathy

cathy — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:52:41 +0000

Chewy and Masticator, I was hoping somebody would come by with advice. Thanks! I did roast the beets here, in tin foil, before peeling and chopping them. I was thinking of then boiling or reducing them into some kind of syrup, as if they were a strawberry or something, and wasn’t sure if it could be done — so thanks so much for the suggestions. I’m sure I’ll try them all eventually.

By: sugarlaws

sugarlaws — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:02:24 +0000

hilarious! the color is great though. i’m kind of scared of beets, but i bet you could make this with strawberries and it would be great!

By: masticator

masticator — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:42:30 +0000

How did you cook the beets? I would think roasting would be the optimal method. I have made sweet beet custards and eaten beet ice creams and tarts and the secret to success seems to be the caramelizing power of high-heat, low-moisture cooking.
You can also shred raw beets and extract the sweetness in below-simmering water(more steeping than boiling).
I would also consider using a puree instead of chunks(you could also pass the puree through a foodmill or tamis or the like and then reduce the liquid you end up with).
Also, powdered beets could work, and can be found at some health food stores and definitely at Kalustyan’s.
Happy New Year.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:33:44 +0000

Beets are evil – sure looks pretty though

By: Chewy

Chewy — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 03:42:21 +0000

Have you thought about extracting the sugars from the beets (boiling and reducing) and using just that liquid for sweetening desserts?