Beet Stem and Potato Quiche

This is another recipe I'm using to illustrate the kinds of really good food you can feed your family for a small amount of money. For this one, I wanted to highlight the yes that is beet stems. Most people, I’m told, toss those when they buy the beets with greens attached. Yet, these are still food, and delicious food at that!

I used to only buy bulk beets, but one day, it occurred to me I should stop doing that. More food for the buck, as it were. The peels of the beetroot go in my bag of vegetable leavings for stock. The greens I use wherever I want greens. Soups, skillet dishes, pasta, all the things.I usually put all the little stems, cut up, in a ziplock bag with a coffee filter in there to use anywhere I’d normally use celery.

If you are buying most everything on the ingredients list, including pre-made pie crust, you’re looking at around $6 for the pie.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small red potato, sliced thinly with skin left on
1/2 large orange bell pepper
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1 cup sliced scallions
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup (roughly) chopped beet stems
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk, or 1 1/2 cups fresh milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup grated farmer's cheese or mozzarella
1 pie crust
1/4 cup parmesan, including green can (optional)

Prepare or thaw one pie crust. Line a tart or pie pan with the crust. Preheat oven to 450F. In a pan, heat the oil. Add in potato slices dusted with salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until they are just beginning to become soft. Add beet stems, garlic and half the lemon juice, plus a touch more salt, and cook until firm but soft (raw, the texture of the stems is similar to rhubarb so you want to cook it down a bit). Add in bell pepper and scallions with the remainder of the lemon juice. Cook down. Turn up heat to thicken/cook away any extra liquid in the pan.

Whisk together eggs and milk, then add cheese and a bit more nutmeg. Pour veggies into pie shell and spread out evenly. Top with egg mixture. Bake 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 and cook another 25 minutes. If you see fit, top with parmesan and cook another 10 minutes. Otherwise just cook another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 more minutes, then eat. Serves 4-8.