Beets are in season. We have recipes

What’s in season: Stroll your farmers market stands, and you’ll find varieties of beets that go far beyond the red supermarket staple. Shades of the root vegetable, which are typically in season from fall through the late winter months, vary from deep garnet to brilliant gold, with white sugar beets, an orange Danish variety that looks more like a carrot than a beet, and even some with the candy-striped or “bull’s-eye” white and red markings characteristic of Chioggia beets. Regardless of their coloring, beets are similar in flavor, though they can add dramatic, even whimsical hues to a variety of dishes.

A dozen great recipes for beets >>

What to cook: If you buy beets with the leaves attached, save the leaves — they lend earthy notes to stews and salads and are great sautéed. Grate raw beets, adding them to borscht or other stews or soups, or use in place of potatoes when making latkes. To roast beets, wrap them in foil and roast at 400 degrees until tender, about an hour. Peel the beets, then toss into salads for a burst of bright color.

What’s on the horizon: With its rough, blocky shape, quince might look more like a Bizarro World-type pear. But with a little love (and a long, slow poach or bake), the fruit, a winter favorite, is transformed into something sweet and silky.

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noelle.carter@latimes.com

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