It’s difficult to believe that the hardy, crunchy, often rough looking exterior of raw beets can be transformed into something wonderfully soft and buttery once the vegetable is cooked. While beets are available throughout the year, their season runs from June through October when the youngest, most tender beets are easiest to find.

Edible green leaves are attached to the tapered round or oblong root portions that we know as beets. The leaves have tons of vitamins in them and are delicious as long as they are prepared correctly. Such is the case in this week’s recipe. While we often think of beets having a reddish-purple hue, some varieties are white, golden-yellow and even rainbow colored. The sweet taste of beets reflects their high sugar content making them an important raw material for the production of refined sugar; they have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, yet are very low in calories The pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color, betacyanin, is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent. Beets’ potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies. It is also a strong antioxidant.

One study showed protective antioxidant activity increased in the livers of beet fiber-fed animals, and their total cholesterol dropped 30 percent, their triglycerides dropped 40 percent (elevated triglycerides, the form in which fats are transported in the blood, are a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease), and their HDL (beneficial cholesterol) level increased significantly.

This particular recipe is wonderful because it is so full of vitamins and antioxidants, and tastes so good.

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Use beets with fresh green tops attached, or substitute Swiss chard for beet greens, if you prefer. Serve with pan-roasted salmon or trout, lamb chops, or beef tenderloin.

1 1/2 pounds beets

8 shallots, peeled and halved

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

5 cups trimmed arugula (about five ounces)

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Trim beets, reserving greens. Wrap beets in foil. Place beets and shallots on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat shallots with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until shallots are lightly browned. Remove shallots from pan. Return beets to oven; bake an additional 35 minutes or until beets are tender. Cool. Peel beets; cut into half-inch wedges. Place beets, shallots, vinegar, rind, one teaspoon oil, and a quarter teaspoon salt in a large bowl; toss well.

Heat remaining one teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add reserved beet greens to pan; sauté one minute or until greens begin to wilt. Stir in sugar, cider, and remaining quarter teaspoon salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add arugula; stir just until wilted. Place about one cup greens mixture on each of four plates. Sprinkle each serving with one and a half teaspoons walnuts; top each serving with three-quarters cup beet mixture.