Poached Eggs and Beet Greens

Aren't these beets beautiful?  We bought them at Russell Farms Market last weekend.  They grow them right there, in the fields beside the market.

We bought two bunches of beets, with their beautiful fresh greens attached.  

To prep them, I dumped a bunch at a time into the sink and gave them a couple of soaks and several rinses.  

I removed the leaves from the beets and set them aside. Working a batch at a time, I dried them in my salad spinner, then wrapped them in kitchen towels and stored them in plastic bags. 

I cut off the beet stems and set them aside to use for stock.  

I left the tips and tails on the beetroots, let them drain, then wrapped them in a kitchen towel and stored them in my vegetable crisper for meals later in the week.  

On Monday, we had beet greens and poached eggs for supper.

To make them, I began by giving the greens another quick rinse in the sink.  While they were soaking, I brought the egg poaching water to a simmer.

I transferred the greens to a big pot, with just the water that was clinging to their leaves.

I cooked the greens over medium-high heat, stirring often.  

When the leaves were wilted and most of the water evaporated, I added in a tablespoon of bacon fat (I know it's breaking the Meatless Monday rules but it tastes good!) and a teaspoon of cider vinegar.  

I put the eggs in the poaching water and continued to cook the greens until all the water had evaporated and the bacon fat and vinegar were distributed throughout.

I plated the poached eggs on top of the beet greens and served them immediately, with some warm cornbread on the side.  It was delicious.
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This recipe is linked to the Recipe Box at Bizzy Bakes.