Sea Beet Leaves
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Sea beet greens vary in size, depending on their age at harvest and growing conditions, and average 2 to 20 centimeters in length. The leaves have an oval to heart shape when young, and as they grow larger and mature, they become arrow-shaped with a tapered, frilled nature. Sea beet greens also range in color from light green to dark emerald green, changing with age. The leaf’s surface is textured, crinkled, glossy, and leathery, with prominent central veining. Mature Sea beet greens also display wavy and curvy edges, while younger leaves are smooth and even. The stems are thick, fleshy, and striated with a pale green to red-purple hue. Sea beet greens are tender and crisp when young, becoming chewy, firmer, and crunchy with age. Once cooked, the leaves become softer and succulent. Sea beet greens have a faint green aroma and are edible raw or cooked. The leaves have an earthy, vegetal, subtly sweet, and faintly bitter taste. In addition to the leaves, the plant’s roots, stems, and flowers are edible.
Seasons/Availability
Sea beet greens are available year-round. Foragers prefer harvesting the leaves in the early spring and fall for a softer and milder flavor. In the late spring and summer, during the plant’s flowering period, the leaves can sometimes develop a more bitter taste.
Current Facts
Sea beets, botanically classified as Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima, are an ancient, wild species belonging to the Amaranthaceae family. The perennial plants grow upright in a somewhat sprawling formation in coastal and salt-filled shorelines, reaching up to 80 centimeters in height, producing fleshy, dark green leaves. Sea beets are famously known as the wild predecessor to domesticated forms of beetroot, chard, and perpetual garden spinach. The species has been consumed and documented in various medicinal and culinary texts throughout history, especially in the Ancient Greek and Roman empires, and was praised for its versatility. Sea beet plants are also known as Wild Spinach, Sea Spinach, and Wild Beetroot and are fast-growing, hardy, drought-tolerant, and mostly disease-resistant. These characteristics have led it to be continually used in breeding new varieties of beets in the modern day to help create stronger, improved cultivars. Despite their ancient origins, Sea beets have remained a popular foraged species as the plants are entirely edible, including their roots, stems, flowers, and leaves. The greens are the most consumed portion of the plant and are typically foraged from wild populations for use in raw and cooked culinary preparations. It is important to note that research and care should be taken before foraging any wild plant. Though Sea beet is prevalent and easy to spot, it is always recommended to work with a professional and harvest from areas unaffected by sewage, animal excrement, and pollution.
Nutritional Value
Sea beet greens are a source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, calcium to support bones and teeth, and magnesium to control optimal nerve functions. The species also provides vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and contains other nutrients, including zinc, vitamin K, and B vitamins. In some ancient Greek and Roman medicinal texts, Sea beets were consumed as an anti-inflammatory and diuretic. They were also thought to have antioxidant properties to protect the cells against the damage caused by free radicals and were topically applied to soothe wounds.
Applications
Sea beet greens have a mild, subtly sweet, bitter, and earthy taste suited for raw and cooked preparations. Younger leaves are tender and mild enough to consume raw. The greens can be tossed into salads, added to sandwiches, or mixed into grain bowls. Mature Sea beet greens are typically cooked as they have a tougher texture and a more bitter taste. The greens can be used in any recipe calling for chard, beet greens, or spinach, and are popularly wilted, steamed, blanched, and boiled. Try adding Sea beet greens to egg-based dishes such as frittatas, quiches, or omelets. They can also be incorporated into curries, soups, and stews, cooked into pasta and risotto, or added to stir-fries. In England, the greens are sometimes used in preparations for souffle, tarts, and beef wellingtons. They are also simply boiled or steamed and tossed in aromatics, butter, and lemon juice as a side dish to roasted meats. Beyond the greens, the flowers and roots are edible and can be incorporated into savory cooked preparations. Sea beets pair well with nuts such as pine, walnuts, almonds, and pecans, herbs including parsley, rosemary, thyme, and oregano, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, and meats such as beef, pork, and poultry. Freshly harvested Sea beet greens should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor. The leaves can be stored for a day or two in the refrigerator. Sea beet greens can also be blanched and frozen for extended use.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Sea beets are rumored to have been grown in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Historians and scholars heavily debate the garden’s existence as no archeological findings have proven its presence, but several ancient historians described the gardens in various texts. The first reference to the garden was mentioned in the writing of Berossus of Kos, also known as Bel-Usru, a priest from Babylon. The piece was thought to have been written around 290 BCE, and in the work, Berossus mentions a garden with mountain-like terraces that held many types of plants. These plants would often grow and hang over the sides of the terraces, allegedly alluding to the garden’s “hanging” descriptor. Several other Ancient Greek authors also referenced the gardens in their writings. Sea beets were later mentioned in an Assyrian text that claimed the species was growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon around 800 BCE. It is unknown if the gardens truly ever existed or were written about as a fantasy, but historians hypothesize that the large gardens could have been in Babylon or Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. Gardens in Nineveh have been documented in written texts and in some archeological findings, but no proof has connected these findings to the wonder garden. Nineveh was also sometimes referred to as “old Babylon,” further expanding the mystery. Regardless of the garden’s true location and existence, the mention of Sea beets in ancient texts in relation to these gardens enforces the strong culinary and medicinal presence of Sea beets throughout history.
Geography/History
Sea beets are native to coastal regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa and have been growing wild since ancient times. In Europe, the species was prevalent along shorelines in the southwestern regions of the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, the eastern Mediterranean, and beside the Caspian Sea. The earliest-known reference to Sea beets dates back to the Mesolithic Era, spanning from 5600 to 4000 BCE. Carbonized pieces of roots and seeds of Sea beets were found in Denmark. Sea beets were historically consumed for their edible leaves, and the greens were domesticated for culinary and medicinal preparations throughout the Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Empires. The Romans are credited with being the first to cultivate the species for its edible roots, eventually producing larger, fleshier roots that are predecessors to the beetroots consumed in the present day. As various mutations were selectively bred over time, Sea beets, as an overall species, remained wild and localized to their native growing regions. Today, Sea beet plants are still prevalent in the wild and thrive in coastal regions and salt marshes. The species can thrive in harsh, saline environments and tend to thrive in locations where other plants cannot. Sea beets can also be planted in home gardens for culinary use. Foraged Sea beet greens are sold through local markets in their native growing regions. The Sea beet greens featured in the photograph above were sourced from a wild plant growing along the shoreline in Westgate, a coastal town in Kent, England.
