Fried Beets 1723

This early beet recipe with a lovely wine and cloves flavor is a delicious and different way to use beets this fall.  An earlier post details various ways to prepare beets from 1717 to 1916. HERE
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John Nott's recipe from 1723 -

Bake them in an Oven, peel them, and cut them in Slices long ways, and about half an Inch thick; then steep them in a thin Batter, made of White-wine, fine Flour, Cream, and the Whites and Yolks of Eggs, (but more Yolks than Whites,) season'd with Salt, Pepper, and beaten Cloves; let them lye in the Batter a little while, then take them out, and drudge them with Flour, crumbled Bread, and Parsley shred small; then fry them, and when they are dry, serve them in Plates with Juice of Lemon.

You may also make a Fricassie of them with Butter, Parsley, Salt, Pepper, and Onions.

Nott, John.  The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary.    London: 1723

My interpretation (made years ago, so no photo) -

2 Beets -  bake 375, 1-2 hours, or boil until skin loose [cook with leaf stems cut to an inch and leave root at end]; peel; slice cooked beets about 1/4 inch thick

1/2 C White Wine

3 T Flour
1/2 C Cream
2 Eggs - 1 whole & 1 yolk
1/4 t Cloves
Salt and Pepper

1/4 C Bread crumbs - finely grated 'penny loaf' or bread

1/4 C Flour
Parsley - finely chopped
Butter            [enough to fry]
Lemon juice  [or sprinkle salt on top]

Sources

James Peale’s painting Still Life with Vegetables from 1826 is at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. HERE

Goldman, Irwin L. and Janick, Jules (2021). "Evolution of Root Morphology in Table Beet: Historical and Iconographic." Frontiers in Plant Science. Online August 10, 2021. National Library of Medicine. HERE

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