Beets and Canned Bluegill

I was delighted to see that my beets have actually developed roots this year. Last year the roots were tiny, and I had resigned myself to only getting beet greens.

I simply rinsed the beet root and simmered it in salted water for 45 minutes. After the root is cooked, the skin slides right off. The root was delightful as is and was even better drizzled with good olive oil and a dash of sea salt.

In other news, I came across a recipe for canning bluegills that eliminates the need to skin or bone, and lets you use even little fish.

Bayou Bill's Canned Bluegill Recipe

I love the idea of being able to preserve the fish like that, since there'll be winter days when fishing a fresh one won't be my idea of fun. These canned bluegill look like they'd be a bit like canned salmon, with the crunchy but edible bones.

Bayou Bill passed away in 2009, but I had a chat with his widow, Nancy. She'd be delighted to know folks are using Bill's recipes. Enjoy!